Lawman
by ladybrit
Summary: Matt has to save an old friend and fellow lawman, from the gallows.
1. Chapter 1

April 2014

**Lawman**

Prologue

The life of a lawman was not an easy existence; Matt Dillon would be the first to admit that. Sometimes he had to get away from the noise and violence of the town and ride the short distance to the cemetery known as Boot Hill. Here the earthly remains of gunfighters, bank robbers and other outcasts of society, found a final resting place and sometimes even he could find a brief moment of peace.

Walking among the ragged grave markers usually allowed his mind a brief respite from the burdens that the badge imposed, but not today. He stood there for a while feeling the soft breeze coming in off the prairie then looked down at the cluster of wooden buildings spreading out on the plain beneath him. They made up Dodge City and for better or worse that was very much his town. Oh he didn't own any of it, not financially that is, but without him being there to enforce some degree of law and order, it would soon become just another lawless blight on the landscape. Somehow he felt a pride in that. He looked down at the tin star on his faded red shirt, the badge of a US Marshal. Not many men would want the job that went with it, goodness knows the pay wasn't good and risk to life and limb was a daily occurrence. Sometimes he didn't want the job either but every time he had unpinned that badge something had made him take it up again, more often than not it was one of those dregs of humanity whose resting place was here on Boot Hill. By now the badge was so much a part of him that he couldn't go back, even though the telegram he had received that morning made him wish he could. He had seriously thought about it for an hour or so, even going so far as to take the badge from his shirt and sit holding it in his hands. Just a piece of metal, he thought, but it held a power over him like nothing else could. He sighed, his breath riding away on the slow moving air to fall somewhere out there among the grasses, rocks and creeks that made up the pairie. He knew that soon he would be following it.

xxx

Chapter 1

That morning had started much like many others. He had risen early, almost before the first streaks of dawn forced their way through the dust and grime of Front Street. The night before had been peaceful enough. A series of fights at the Lady Gay and one crooked Gambler at the Texas Trail had resulted in two drunken cowboys being locked in the cells and one dead body being delivered to Percy Crump's funeral parlor. He could almost laugh at the thought that he had come to consider that a quiet night – but compared with how things were during the cattle drive season it was quiet indeed.

He had a sense of purpose as he made his way through the streets and alleyways that surrounded the many saloons of Dodge City. Oil lamps from the night before were still burning in a few windows and appeared like dimming stars in the ever-increasing light of dawn. The city was definitely his at this hour. His were the only footsteps that echoed along the boardwalks as he tried to avoid pieces of scrap paper stirred up by the breeze and other refuse scattered on the ground. These were the sad remains of the revelries of the night before. A few stray dogs took cover as he came their way, but the occasional chicken, pecking hungrily in the gritty dirt, barely moved away from the large leather boots that strode rhythmically by. He continued on into the darkness of alleyways, where light had not yet penetrated, and awakened the occasional drifter who had fallen asleep in a quiet corner. He needed to hurry them on their way before the rest of the population came out to investigate the new day. People in general were suspicious of these homeless pilgrims and he had found over the years that much trouble could be avoided if they were not around when the more permanent residents of the town awoke. He had come to know many of the regular visitors who sought shelter in the nooks and crannies of Dodge City. For the most part they weren't bad people but, for some reason or another, many were unable to hold down a steady job and live in accordance with the rules of city life. Others just wanted to pass through on a seasonal basis like the trappers and skinners who came in only to sell hides and then rejected the confines of a hotel room or boarding house. Of course there were always those who drifted through merely to fill up on whisky and talk to a pretty salon girl and then just slept where they fell, but there were also a few who came to cause trouble and those were the ones he had to be on the look out for.

Once back on Front Street he encountered several of the town's business owners who had arisen early. They were now outside their establishments with brooms, sweeping the boardwalk in front of their stores or with buckets and rags washing the windows so that potential customers could see the goods they displayed for sale. They all stopped what they were doing to wish a good morning to the tall figure with the distinctive walk as he passed by.

Dillon had arrived in front of his own office and stopped to open the door. Chester should be up by now with a pot of coffee ready on the stove, but before he could even turn the knob to enter, a breathless grey haired man came up behind him waving a pale green envelope.

"Marshal, this came in for you late last night. I …er couldn't find you so I thought it would keep till this morning."

Barney had been the telegraph operator in Dodge for many years, he well knew where the Marshal slept when he was in town and the street was quiet, but felt unsure of knocking on that particular door. Besides which the wire had not been marked 'Urgent' so he convinced himself that it could well wait until morning.

Matt took the dirt-smudged envelope and thanked the messenger. Somehow telegrams hardly ever brought good news and he wondered what he would find when he opened this one.

Putting off the evil moment he opened the door and went inside the brick building that was as close as anything he had to a home. He looked around for his assistant, who also acted as jailer, and as usual located him by the old stove, completely occupied concocting his latest recipe for coffee.

"How are the prisoners this morning, Chester?" "A little more awake than they were last night, Mr. Dillon." The young man with the stiff leg turned to face his boss. "They're asking for breakfast and complaining about the coffee."

Matt was fairly certain that he understood the reason behind their complaint, but allowed only the slightest look of amusement show on his face.

"Go get them and I'll turn them lose."

"Yes Sir." The young man immediately set the abused coffee pot down and with his unique gait hastened across the small office to where the big key ring hung on a peg by the entrance to the cells.

Matt could hear the clanging of metal against metal as his assistant unlocked the cells and, after delivering his own brand of verbal admonishment, turned the two drunks from last night out into the main office.

The men stood dejected and forlorn in front of the Marshal's desk. They were indeed a sorry looking pair. The after effects of the whisky they had consumed the night before still showed in their eyes and he knew their heads were pounding like Indian war drums. He reached into the desk drawer and retrieved their guns.

"Next time you come to Dodge, I want you to be a little more careful about how much liquor you drink. I locked you up last night for your own safety and for the safety of others." He handed them their guns, "Next time I might not be so lenient, so I suggest you leave town now and think about that before you come back again."

Somewhat sheepishly the two men retrieved their weapons and headed for the door.

The Marshal returned to his desk and opened the faded green envelope. He couldn't put off reading the contents much longer.

Chester went back to the coffee pot and after a short while placed a mug of the latest brew in front of his boss.

Dillon read the few lines that had been carefully hand-written by the telegraph clerk, and his heart sank. This was an assignment he had no desire to accept. He took one mouthful of the coffee – it was hot but that was about all it had going for it. Suddenly he stood up and pushed the message roughly down into the pocket of his vest. This was something he would have to think about.

"I'll see you later Chester," he said absently as he headed for the door. He walked down to the livery, ignoring everyone. Without saying a word he saddled his horse and rode up to Boot Hill. He needed time and a place to think.

xxx

It was two hours later that the tall lawman on the buckskin horse headed back to town and stopped outside Moss Grimmick's stable.

"Everything alright Marshal?" the old man enquired. The lawman had not spoken a word earlier when he'd left, not even a simple greeting, and Moss was experienced enough to know that meant that Dillon had something heavy on his mind and so purposely left him alone.

"Here, I'll take care of your horse."

"Thanks Moss," came the simple reply as the rider handed the reins to the livery owner. Nothing else, no explanation, 'I'm glad I don't have his job' thought Moss as he led the horse back inside to its stall. He removed the saddle and made sure the animal had water and hay. "I wouldn't be surprised if you ain't headin' out soon, son," he said patting the animal's neck.

Kitty Russell, owner of the Long Branch Saloon, was assisting the bar help clear away the breakfast foods when the Marshal approached the batwing doors. Almost instinctively she looked up and saw him standing there.

"If you're looking for breakfast you almost missed it." She smiled at him for an instant but then noticed the look on his face and knew there was something on his mind.

"Come and sit down," she indicated the table she had recently vacated, "I'll find you some coffee."

"That'd be good." He took a seat and removed his hat, placing it thoughtfully on the table next to him and sat looking at it as if waiting for something to happen. She brought one of her china cups filled with the fresh brew and set it carefully in front of him, then seated herself beside the man she had loved since she first met him six years ago. She could read his expressions as if words were printed on his forehead.

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked quietly – for his hearing alone. She didn't really have to worry about being overheard because at this time of the morning there was a lull in business. It was the hour or so between the time when a few stragglers wandered in for a free breakfast after the indulgences of the night before and when the lunchtime rush would begin in earnest.

Sullenly he pulled the stained telegraph envelope from his pocket and handed it to her.

"This arrived late last night."

She removed the notepaper and unfolded it, only half aware of the clink of beer mugs and the heavier sounds of beer barrels being rolled around, going on behind her. Those were normal events for this time of day and she automatically tuned them out. He sat still and quiet, deep in thought while she turned her focus to the note. It was from the Marshal's Service in Washington and addressed to Marshal Mathew Dillon, Dodge City Kansas – no mistake there. She continued reading.

_Request you proceed to Garden City and arrest Douglas Hamilton, City Marshal, on charge of murder. Warrant and details to follow._

The red head looked into the troubled eyes of the man sitting next to her.

"Well I guess it is a little unusual asking you to go arrest another lawman. I never even knew there was another Marshal in Kansas."

"He's a city marshal, his job is much like that of a sheriff."

He said nothing more, just picked up the note and forced it back in the pocket he had taken it from.

"Tell me about Douglas Hamilton. You know him don't you?" Somehow she could tell.

He nodded slowly then said simply, "We were friends at one time." There was a long pause during which she gently laid her hand on his arm, but didn't hurry him. " I haven't seen him since the war. I know that he became a Deputy Marshal in Colorado, and worked in and around Pueblo for a year or two, then moved on to Garden City to take up the post of City Marshal."

"You think he's innocent?"

"I don't know, but I'd need a lot of convincing to believe he's guilty of murder."

"Oh Matt," she sighed, hating to see him so troubled, "why are they asking you to do this?"

"He's a tough man, good with a gun. I guess they figure I'd have a better chance than anyone of bringing him in."

"You could say no Matt. It is not an order – just a request."

He had considered that possibility while walking among the permanent residents of Boot Hill. It wouldn't work.

"They'd only send someone else, maybe someone who would kill him right there, intend of going to the trouble of bringing him in. I'm probably the only one who would try to keep him alive."

"You think he murdered someone?"

"I doubt it. Doug is a good lawman, he always hated killing and tried to prevent it where he could. I can't see him murdering anyone." Dillon had finished his coffee and she noticed how small the delicate cup seemed in relation to the big hand that held it. Apparently there was something fascinating at the bottom of that particular piece of porcelain because he sat staring at it in silence for several minutes. The clear blue eyes that were used to scanning the vastness of the prairie saw nothing; the mind that controlled them was miles and years away.

xxx

_It was a cold night on the Canadian River where it flowed through the Texas panhandle. A young man, still in his teenage years, was trying to survive a ferocious storm. The thunder and lightning had been raging for an hour or more. He had tried to find shelter amongst some rocks beneath an overhang. His horse had been scared early on and run off, now he was stuck here for sure and probably at the mercy of any passing bandit or Indian hunting party. Worse was yet to happen, the next loud cacophony of thunder caused the rock he was trying to shelter behind shift and a second smaller rock fell, pinning his leg between them. Could his luck get any worse? The storm went on till it finally blew itself out just before dawn. It left the lanky blue eyed youngster, cold, trapped and a little scared. For the first time in his life he could not figure a way out of his predicament. As the hours went by he became hungry and thirsty and when the next night fell he began to shiver from the cold. He hardly slept, which was just as well, because shortly after daylight a group of men were riding his way. He watched as they stopped to water their horses by the river and build a fire to warm coffee. The smell wafted up through the rocks till it finally reached his nostrils. Unable to endure the discomfort any longer he called out to attract someone's attention. It was a move he lived to regret. His rescuers were nothing less than a group of outlaws who made a living holding up stage coaches or banks or any weary traveler who looked like he might have a dollar or two._

_They could not let him go, fearing that he heard too much so they took him along with them. He was virtually a prisoner. Even though young in years, he had a wealth of experience in tracking and living on the prairie. By himself he could not get away from his captors, but he soon became aware that they were being followed. The outlaws seemed oblivious, but young Matt Dillon had seen the movement of someone following their trail close by. He stayed alert – ready to escape under cover of any confusion. He had been sent to gather wood for the evening fire. Purposely he strayed from the man who was supposed to be helping and guarding him and headed towards whoever it was who had been following them. He worked his way between a patch of bushes and scrubby trees until he could cross the narrow creek. He had seen movement over there and moved slowly towards it._

_Surprisingly he found someone only a little older than himself, but the boy had a gun and a horse – his horse, the one he had lost during the storm. He made his way towards the animal hoping to mount up and be on his way before anyone could stop him. _

"_What you doing here?" The voice was a loud whisper. He turned around to look at the owner of the sounds. There was a gun pointed at him._

_Matt looked at the other man._

"_I wondered what you were doing with my horse."_

_Matt smiled to himself at the memory. The young man was the son of the farmer the gang had robbed. The man had been shot dead and Doug – the boy he stood facing had been following the outlaws ever since._

_The two young men joined forces and having only one horse and one gun between them and a lot more courage than sense, managed to outwit the gang one by one until two were dead and the third surrendered. After a long discussion they took their outlaw and money from a bank robbery to the sheriff in the nearest town. Luckily there was a reward and the boys shared $1000.00 dollars before going their own ways. _

_Fate brought them together one more time. It was during the war, both serving in the same platoon for a while, but like so many friends they became separated and Matt had not heard, personally, from the man since. He knew from reading official circularss that Hamilton had joined the Marshal's service and became a Deputy under the Marshal in Colorado. About a year or so ago he had been notified that Garden City wanted to hire him as city Marshal for that town and he had approved the appointment._

xxx

"Matt," the sound of his name and the touch on his arm brought him back to the present. He shook his head to clear the old memories and looked back at Kitty, trying to make light of his mood.

"Matt, what are you going to do?"

The deep concern showed in her eyes and he looked away from her for a moment to avoid the emotion, at the same time, knowing in his heart what he was going to do. Like always he would do what he had to, uphold the law as he had sworn to do many years ago.

He picked up his hat and got up from the table.

"I'll see you later Kitty," he mumbled as he took his leave and headed back through the batwing doors to the turmoil of Front Street.

TBC

A/N: I want to thank LostCowgirl for her efforts in explaining to me the roles of US Marshals, City Marshals and other lawmen who were responsible for bringing peace and order to the old west.


	2. Chapter 2

Lawman

Chapter 2

Matt was more withdrawn and taciturn than usual for the next two days. Even Kitty found it difficult to hold a conversation with him and when Doc ate breakfast with the Marshal and Chester the next morning, his sharp eyes noted that the big man pushed the food around his plate but consumed very little. He was concerned, but said nothing knowing that any comment he made would be met with a cold hard stare. Instead, later that day, he made his way to the Long Branch Saloon and sought out its red headed owner.

He passed his hand over his mustache and pulled on an ear – a sure sign to Kitty that he was a little anxious. She guessed what he was going to ask her.

"Have you noticed anything different about Matt lately?"

She returned his stare, "He's worried about something Doc and before you ask, yes, as usual it's all to do with that badge."

"I should've known," he said – but at the same time his thought was that one day that badge would be the death of the man. He hoped it didn't happen on his watch, partly because of the man himself but also because of the woman standing at the bar beside him.

It was two days before the official brown envelope arrived on the Marshal's desk. Chester had set it there with all the other mail that had come into the Overland Stage depot that morning. He knew Dillon was expecting it and that it must be something important because the Marshal had been unbearable for the last 48 hours. In fact ever since that telegram had arrived Chester had tried to find jobs to do that would keep him out of the way of his boss.

Dillon reached over and took the official government envelope from the stack of mail. He looked at it and turned it over in his hands. He didn't want to open it and read the contents but knew that eventually he would have to do just that. Putting off the evil moment was not going to change things and so he slowly removed a small knife from the pocket of his vest and reluctantly slid the blade under the official seal, then lifted it enough to open the envelope and look inside at the contents. There were three sheets of paper.

One was an official warrant giving him, US Marshal Mathew Dillon, the authority to arrest Douglas Hamilton on a charge of murder and make arrangements for a fair trial as he saw fit.

The second was a brief description of the crime. Hamilton had held the position of City Marshal in a township by name of Garden City in western Kansas, for a year or more. A known bounty hunter had brought in the body of Jake Wells, an outlaw who was wanted for the murder of a bank clerk during a hold up that took place in that town almost two years ago. The reward had been $2500.00 and the bounty hunter was paid off. A few days later some cowboy had brought in the body of the bounty hunter but there was no sign of the money.

The rest of the narrative was somewhat confusing but it seemed that Doug Hamilton was being held in jail in Garden City by a self appointed deputy.

The third page was a wanted poster – he looked at the face off the man he had known – the face looking back at him was a little older now – weren't they all? – except for a few extra lines and thinning hair it was the friend he knew from years before.

He pushed the papers back in the envelope and knew that if there was a way to prove his friend's innocence he would find it. His mind already made up, he looked around for his assistant. The man had been hard to find these last few days. After he called for him a few times, Chester appeared with an armful of wood for the stove, trying to explain his absence. Dillon ignored the excuses and handed over several dollar bills.

"Go down to the Overland depot and get me a ticket on tomorrow's stage to Garden City."

"Yes Sir," was Chester's mumbled reply, he hated to see his boss so stressed and half turned to say something as he stopped to open the door.

"Mr Dillon are you ..?" but he didn't get to finish "Just go, Chester," was the stern reply.

xxx

That evening Matt sat next to Kitty at the small table at the back of the Long Branch.

"Are you sure you should be doing this Matt? Maybe they can send someone else." Kitty was concerned, anytime he went out of town. She always worried about him, and rightfully so, sometimes he was gone for weeks and often he would return sick or injured. This was different, the thought of arresting a man who was his friend, a fellow lawman, and the knowledge that if that man was found guilty of murder he would hang, she knew that was playing heavily on the Marshal's mind.

"It's best that I go Kitty. Maybe I can find some way to prove his innocence and I don't think he will try to fight me, so no one will get hurt. I couldn't be sure what would happen if someone else went. If things went wrong because I turn this down, then I would be guilty of neglecting my duty – at least to my way of thinking."

Kitty understood him. She knew only too well how he felt about upholding the law and protecting his friends.

They talked a little longer before he left to make early evening rounds. The town was fairly quiet but he still insisted on being seen out there on the street – just so everyone knew that the law was on the alert. Often that alone was enough to ward off trouble. He took his time, going into each of the saloons, surveying the crowds and watching for unruly drunks who might start an innocent argument that could escalate into gunfire. At the same time he watched for any strangers who had found their way to town. Most were good law abiding citizens just looking for a drink or maybe a saloon girl for company, but there were others who were guns for hire, bank robbers or one of a dozen other kinds of outlaw he saw on official circulars and wanted posters. It was part of his job to pick those out. He scanned the stacks of notifications that came through his office every week and was quite skilled at remembering the names and faces he saw there. He cast his gaze around the various saloons just in case one of those men had found their way to Dodge City.

As was his habit he returned to the Long Branch at the end of the evening. The customers were all gone and Sam was cleaning the bar while Clem was stacking chairs on tables. Such ordered every day routines. He looked around the saloon until Sam indicated that the object of his search was in the office. No words needed to be spoken.

He approached the door that led to a small storage room room behind the bar. He knocked quietly and opened it. Her blue eyes looked up at him as he entered. She was in the process of opening the safe to lock up the evening's takings.

"Have you finished for the evening?" She asked him.

"Yes, Chester has one drunk locked up, but he can take care of that." He paused to choose his words and continued

"I think I'll take the stage out tomorrow. I should be able to be back here in less than a week."

He leaned over and taking the keys from her hand closed the heavy metal door and turned the lock.

"Thank you Marshal," she smiled at him as she took the keys back and pushed them deep into the pocket of her skirt.

"I know its after hours – but maybe I can offer you a brandy?" She made it a question, and he had to admit he enjoyed her flirting with him. "Well now," he smiled and looked around, "that maybe against the law, but perhaps I can be persuaded that these are extenuating circumstances."

He opened the door and putting a guiding hand in the small of her back ushered her back into the saloon. Clem had left and Sam was about to lock up the big outside doors before sweeping the floor.

"Go on home Sam, you can finish that in the morning." She walked with the barkeep to the full sized doors that led onto Front Street and locked them behind him as he left. A few minutes later the saloon owner and the Marshal headed up the stairs.

They were both tired after the events of the day, and for a while sat in a peaceful silence, side by side, on the small settee in her private rooms above the saloon. Matt had removed his gun belt and hung it carefully on the wooden peg by the door. Later he removed his boots and sat watching as Kitty removed the pins that held her work day hairstyle in place. Now that was done, both of them sat relaxing with a little napoleon brandy

Finally Kitty decided it was time to find out what was going on.

"Matt what do you know about this man you are going to arrest?"

"I haven't seen him in years, but at one time we were close friends." He drank carefully from his glass and gave himself time to gather his thoughts before continuing. She didn't hurry him knowing that such conversations did not come easily to her cowboy. At last he took a breath and continued. He decided to skip the details of their first meeting. It had taken place in such a distant place and time.

" We met for a while during the war, then much like I did, when it was over he found himself acting as Sheriff or deputy in several smaller towns, mostly in Colorado Territory. He was good at the job, fast with a gun when necessary, but calm and confident enough to be able to handle many situations without resorting to violence."

Kitty smiled to herself, he had no idea he was describing the very qualities that made Matt Dillon the man he was. The big man next to her paused for a moment and then resumed his story.

"He made himself quite a reputation. I know that he became a deputy Marshal some time back. Remember when Burt Wilson, the Marshal from Colorado Territory, came through here about three years ago? He was looking to appoint a deputy to work in the area around Pueblo because several gangs of outlaws were trying to take over the city. He wanted my recommendations for someone he could trust in that position. It so happened he had heard of Doug Hamilton and was pleased that I could vouch for the man. The newly appointed Deputy Marshal did a good job in Pueblo, but from what I heard, his young wife didn't like him being gone so much of the time, or the dangers he put himself in."

"I can understand that feeling," Kitty chimed in, to which Matt responded with a look of indignant surprise.

" To continue," he said, half smiling, "Maybe you also remember the Sheriff over in Garden City being killed, oh it must have been more than a year ago now."

She nodded while continuing to run a brush through her hair. She surely did remember it. At the time she thought how easily it could have been Matt who got killed trying to arrest an outlaw, instead of the unfortunate Sheriff.

She came back to the present as Matt continued with the story.

" After the Sheriff's death, the town council couldn't find a suitable candidate from within the county who was willing to take on the job, so they started looking a little further afield. Doug heard of the opportunity and thought if he took the job, it would give him a chance to settle down and provide a more stable home life for his wife. His application came with a good reputation and the town was only too happy to hire him as a city Marshal. As far as I know he has been doing an excellent job up until this came up. I don't know a whole lot about the present situation, but he is accused of killing a bounty hunter and stealing $2500 reward money."

"Is it possible that he did it?"

"I don't know Kitty, certainly the man I knew all those years ago would not have been involved in anything like that, but after all this time who can tell. People can change but I don't think he could have changed that much, I guess I'll find out more when I get there."

"You will be careful won't you?"

Slowly he placed his now empty glass on the small table.

"Let me show you just how careful I can be," he smiled, as he helped her to her feet and led her across the room. It was only a short distance to the big brass bed.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Lawman

Chapter 3

The stage to Garden City was scheduled to leave at noon and US Marshal Matt Dillon, dressed in his more formal attire of grey jacket and string tie was striding along the boardwalk towards the depot. The stage was already waiting there and Jim Buck, the driver, was on the roof securing passengers bags and other cargo. A fresh team had been already been hitched and were snorting, anxious to be moving.

Jim looked down as Dillon approached and threw his bag up to the man's waiting hands.

"Glad to have you along Marshal," he called down as his gloved hands caught the bag and added it to the cargo. "We should be ready to go in a few minutes."

Matt took the time to look around. Chester, as usual was close behind him and he turned to give the man a few last minute instructions. Then the face he really hoped to see was there among the small gathering of people around the depot. He walked over and touched her arm.

"Thanks for coming to see me off Kitty. I'm hoping it won't take me too long to sort this mess out."

"Stay safe cowboy," she said quietly. "I'll be waiting for you."

A brief smile passed between them, it was all that was allowed here on Front Street, in view of the whole town.

"All aboard now folks." The call from Jim Buck as he climbed down from the roof to take his place on the box, interrupted their moment. "I'll see you later Kitty," the lawman said before he turned and folded his tall frame into the waiting coach.

She stood there watching as the driver whipped up the team and in a cloud of dust and small rocks the stage picked up speed and raced along Front Street and out of town. She did not expect any farewell wave, but stood there for a few minutes anyway. When the stage was out of sight a familiar voice brought her back to the present.

"Can I walk you back to the Long Branch Miss Kitty."

Chester always tried to be the gentleman and watch over her when Matt was away, his shy sometimes awkward manner had seemed strange to her at first, but now she knew that the young man would give his life protecting her or 'Mr. Dillon' and she gratefully accepted.

"Thank you Chester, and I tell you what, how about a cold beer when we get there?"

xxx

Douglas Hamilton, Deputy US Marshal, currently acting as City Marshal, sat quietly in a cell in Garden City's jail. He couldn't believe things had turned out this way. His career had started soon after the war when, influenced by his friend Matt Dillon, he had taken to upholding the law as a way of earning a living. He had started out in western Colorado in some of the small mining towns. At first he had acted as Deputy to several Sheriff's in the area on an as needed basis, but after a while became a sheriff in his own right in the town of Durango. He really enjoyed his work, he was good with a gun and with his fists. He was not as tall as he remembered his friend Dillon, but he had a strong stocky frame and he was fast. He also developed a desire to help the frontier lands grow and he knew for that to happen the rule of law had to be present. Investors and businesses were not going to risk their money in a place where thieves and murderers had the upper hand. One of his proudest moments was when Marshal Wilson had appointed him as deputy US marshal. He knew that Matt had put in a good word for him and felt indebted to his friend for the opportunity to put some real meaning in his life. Wilson had assigned him to the area around Pueblo. At the time it was a flourishing town but the local law was weak and several outlaw gangs had taken advantage of that and begun to use its resources to line their own pockets. For a year or so he had worked hard to tame the wild land and despite setbacks had accomplished a lot. Then he met the beautiful dark eyed Gina and she became the light of his life, he would do anything to make her happy. Her parents had come to America from Italy and they ran a small bakery in Pueblo. They worked long hours and gained respect from their neighbors, but, considering all the time they put in, did not make a lot of money. Gina grew up not wanting for much, but had dreams of a better life.

Looking back, Doug guessed she never understood that a deputy marshal did not make a lot of money and after they married she expected a fancy home and him being around most of the time. Sadly his job was not like that and she began to complain when he was gone too much, sometimes for weeks at a time.

When the town of Garden City, Kansas needed a law man, Doug figured that although it would be somewhat of a step down from the deputy marshal post he held, it would at least be a job where he would be home almost every night, and that would make Gina happy.

Of course with his growing reputation he easily got the job and the town was so excited about his arrival that they even provided him with a small house on the edge of town for as long as he needed it. The pay wasn't bad either and he learned that he got to keep a percentage of any fines and levies that he collected, so by working a little harder he could improve his pay check.

He thought things were going well. The town council seemed pleased with his work and Gina seemed happy for a while. But after a few months the little house where they lived became too small for her. She wanted more room so they could have a family, she wanted nice furnishings for the home and pretty gowns to wear. He knew that a good husband should provide these things so he worked harder to make more money. Sadly the result was that it led to him being gone sometimes, but it seemed worth it to keep her happy. She found a group of girl friends to associate with and sometimes, if he was gone overnight, she would spend time with them – and then it got to be that occasionally, even when he was home, she would be gone. Even so she seemed happier and that was what mattered most to him.

It had been about a month ago when Dirk Williams – a known bounty hunter, had brought in the body of an outlaw who had been wanted for robbery, murder and kidnapping mostly stemming from a bank hold up in Garden City about a year before Hamilton arrived there. There was a $2500 reward on the outlaw's head, dead or alive, and although it irked him to have to hand over such a sum to someone as despicable as Williams, he had no choice. Gina had heard about it and had questioned him as to why he never got to keep any reward money when he arrested wanted men. He tried to explain to her that lawmen didn't do that because they were just performing their duty. She made a few more comments and then changed the subject.

The Bounty Hunter didn't want to come into town to collect his money, feelings ran high against men of his profession and he feared for his life – and his money. Hamilton had arranged to meet him at a small crossroads just south of town near a bend the Arkansas River. He remembered that afternoon so well – it marked the beginning of his life falling apart.

Williams had wanted cash – he didn't believe in banks. Doug had taken the money he got from the bank and packed it in a canvas sack, then flung it over his saddled horse and together with a fishing pole made his way out of town. Most people assumed he was taking a well deserved break. It was two days later when a ranch hand brought the body of the bounty hunter into town. The cowboy said he had found the body down by the Arkansas River and it looked like had been shot in the back. The corpse was slung across the back of a horse and covered with a canvas. Hamilton looked at the man's face and then folded back the covering and saw the bloodstained clothing covering the man's back. He probably should have inspected further but at the time it did not seem necessary. Of course there was no sign of the reward money.

The body of the bounty hunter was summarily inspected by the town's doctor and then hastily buried in the public cemetery without much in the way of ceremony. Then all of a sudden the town was up in arms. Unintentionally Gina had let it slip that Doug had ridden out to that very spot to hand over the money and indeed he had been seen there by another fisherman a little further down stream. Of course she proclaimed he would never murder anyone and certainly not for the money. But the rumor spread like wild fire.

People didn't particularly like bounty hunters, but they didn't like people being shot in the back either, especially by a lawman. Doug could not believe how quickly this town that he had protected and made his home, could turn against him. There began to be talk of lynching and in an effort to stop that from happening the town council had appointed two temporary deputies to lock Hamilton in his own jail and stand guard – for his own protection of course. Gina had been attentive, bringing him food and coffee and even clean clothes. She kept telling him that everything would be all right, she believed in his innocence. Her love was such a comfort to him.

He got up from the cot he had been lying on and paced back and forth across the cell for a while, wishing he could ride out and look at the place where the body had been found. Maybe he could find some tracks or something out there that would help solve the case. He looked over at the young man who had been placed in charge of the jail – he was asleep with his feet up on the desk. Doug didn't think he would have much of a chance if the crowds got ugly. He didn't worry so much for himself but what would happen to his beautiful Gina.

Having paced the small cell back and forth for a while, he finally settled on the cot again and tried to sleep – that was about all he could do anyway.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Lawman

Chapter 4

It was evening of the following day when Matt Dillon arrived in Garden City. The trip had been fairly easy with three short layovers for a change of horses. He had spent most of the time lying back in the corner of the seat with his hat pulled over his eyes. It gave him chance to think and also to catch up on some sleep. For most of the journey there was only himself and two other passengers so there was plenty of room, and no one seemed interested in trying to start a conversation.

He retrieved his carpet bag from the driver who had taken over from Burke at the second relay station, then made his way to the City Marshal's office. Garden City was similar to Dodge in that most of the buildings were made of wood. There were several saloons, a small hotel and a bank, but overall it was not as big as Dodge. The railroad hadn't got here yet and generally the atmosphere was less hectic than Front Street. He had been here several times before but not for the past three or four years, certainly not since Doug Hamilton had been the law.

The jail was a lone wooden building at the end of the street. Its only distinguishing feature was a beautifully carved oak door with a large window to one side. There were bars across the window as on his own office back in Dodge. He opened the door carefully and caught a glimpse of a young man with a rifle cradled in his lap. His feet were propped up on the desk and he looked to be asleep. Apparently he had heard the door open and hastily dropped his feet to the floor and stood up, pointing the weapon at Dillon.

"Just stay where you are," the young man said in a somewhat shaky voice.

In response Matt raised his hands slightly and spoke quietly.

"You can relax, I'm the United States Marshal out of Dodge City, I've been sent to take charge of the prisoner. If you let me undo my coat you'll see my badge." The young man was unsure, but the way this tall man carried himself told him that he was used to being obeyed.

"All right, but no sudden moves or I'll fire."

"I don't think you want to do that." Matt showed his badge and then carefully took the arrest warrant from his pocket and handed it to the young man to read.

"That looks official, but I'll need to check with Mr. Etheridge – he's in charge of the town council."

"Well you go do that." Matt reached over and retrieved his paper. "Meantime give me the keys – I need to talk to Mr. Hamilton."

"I'm not sure I should do that."

"It'll be all right, I'm taking over here."

The young man felt somewhat intimidated by this newcomer, and didn't know how he should act. In the end he showed him where the keys where and hurried out of the office.

Matt took the keyring and went back to the cells. Hamilton saw him coming.

"Matt, I don't believe it, are you here to rescue me? I need to get out of this place before the town gets set on a lynching.'

"There'll be no lynching Doug."

He unlocked the cell and stepped inside, taking a seat on the cot next to his old friend.

"Let's get out of here, fast, before that young idiot gets back. You got horses outside?"

"No Doug, we're not running anywhere. They sent me here to arrest you and see that you get a fair trial."

"You know, Matt, there is no way I will get a fair trial here in this town. There are people here who never did like the law and now suddenly they have a been given an excuse to get rid of it."

Matt lifted a hand and tapped his friend on the shoulder – "We'll get through this Doug. Tomorrow I'd like to go out and look at the place where the body was found. Meantime I need you to tell me everything you know."

They were interrupted when the outer door opened and a beautiful young woman with dark eyes and lustrous flowing dark hair entered. He felt his friend's mood change instantly at the sight of her.

"Matt this is my wife Gina." Matt stood and couldn't help but stare at the young woman who was carrying a large basket covered with a checkered cloth. He could smell the food without even lifting the cover.

"Gina this is my old friend Marshal Matt Dillon. He's here to help us."

"Pleased to meet you Ma'am," the Marshal managed to say.

She placed the basket on the small table in the cell and stood back to bestow one of the most seductive smiles Matt had ever seen."

"I've heard my husband talk about you Marshal Dillon, I hope you can help us."

"I'm going to do my best ma'am," Matt replied, barely able to take his eyes of this beautiful woman who had to be at least ten years younger than Doug. He watched as she sat next to her husband and began to unpack the contents of the basket. It seemed she had brought supper for both of them to share and Matt began to feel a little out of place in this small cell with these two people. Fortunately the outer door to the office opened and the young man he had previously met returned accompanied by a portly man who looked like a typical banker. He wore an expensively tailored suit with a high collared shirt protruding from an overly tight waistcoat. A gold chain coursed across the protruding stomach and disappeared into a pocket where undoubtedly it was connected to a fine timepiece. The whole effect was completed by a cravat style tie which only served to emphasize the man's short or non existent neck.

Matt consciously tried not to be influenced by the pompous appearance of the man. He left the cell closing the door behind him and extended his hand.

"Matt Dillon, United States Marshal out of Dodge City."

The man stood there a moment trying to puff out his chest a little more before replying.

"Elton Etheridge, chairman of the Garden City town council."

Matt had met his type before. A little power and they wanted control of the whole country.

"I guess your deputy there told you that I am here to take charge of the prisoner." he withdrew the warrant from his pocket once more and handed it to the little man, who perused it in detail.

"That seems to be in order Marshal." His manner was condescending and it was all Dillon could do to avoid delivering a sharp backhand to the flabby jaw-line facing him. "What are your plans if I may ask?"

"I need to check into a few things and then I'll let you know." He wanted to get his friend out of this place but first he wanted to look around and ask a few questions.

Elton Etheridge seemed a little deflated as he left the office. He did make sure that his deputy stayed behind and had given him a few whispered instructions, which Matt felt certain, were mainly to keep an eye on him. He returned to Doug Hamilton and his wife who were still sitting quietly eating supper. He needed to know who had found the body of the bounty hunter, where it was buried and if there had been an autopsy,

xxx

Gina left her husband after a parting kiss and Dillon returned to the cell to ask the questions that concerned him. He planned to take Doug out to the place by the river tomorrow to see for himself where the body was found and then maybe send a telegram to Doc Adams. There had been no autopsy to speak of and Doc was the best man he knew to perform the grisly task. Since he was now in charge of the case he didn't really mind if that upset any of the local hierarchy. He also wanted to send a wire to Judge Brooking. If there was going to be a trial he would rather it be held in Dodge where at least he could make sure that Hamilton got a fair hearing.

xxx

Gina Hamilton left the jail with a brisk step and a smile on her face. She hurried along to the edge of town where a small house stood somewhat off by itself. She had come to hate the place during the last year or so that she had lived there with her husband. When she first married the deputy marshal she thought it would be a step up in life from the simple bakery business that her parents owned. She soon found that her routine life bored her. When her husband was off chasing outlaws she was left at home and she began to resent him and the badge he wore. She was also unhappy because they never seemed to have enough money for anything but the basics. This life was no better than the one she had left, except that now she had a little more freedom than when her very Italian father had kept such a close eye on her.

She started meeting up with some other young women in Pueblo, many of who were single and some of those led more exciting lives. She found that there were places to meet young men and as long as Doug was out of town it didn't seem to matter. Eventually he sensed that something was wrong and she, in turn, blamed him for being gone so much. That led him to take the job in Garden City and for a while she had been more content, at least he was home every night. But it was still money that was the problem. They never had enough for her to buy the things she thought she deserved. The only solution was for Doug to take on a few extra duties. He would stay at the bank all night if they had a big gold shipment come in, he would provide security at some of the bigger private functions of the towns dignitaries, making sure guests checked there weapons and did not get too drunk. Of course some of these things would come with his job anyway, but he found that people with money would pay him a little extra on the side for the personal service. He could also increase his income by being more diligent about collecting fines and levies owed to the city. He did everything he could to make his beautiful wife happy, but now he was spending more time away from home again.

Once more Gina looked around for outside entertainment and found it in the form of a young, handsome cowboy by name of Johnny Halstead, who worked at one of the bigger ranches in Finney County. He was tall and rugged with unusual green eyes that danced like the prairie grasses. He almost always seemed to have money and better still he would come around when Doug wasn't home and they would head off to the river in a small buggy he borrowed from the town's livery stable. Living way on the edge of town did have its advantages and no one saw her coming and going. Slowly it came to the point that she wanted Doug gone so she could run off with Johnny Halstead

Somehow a simple plan had found its way into her head. At first she wanted this cowboy to find a way to get into a gun fight with her husband and kill him, legally of course, in a fair fight, that way she would be free. Halstead was smart, he had watched the deputy marshal use a gun and knew he was not fast enough to out draw him. She had to think again, her parents were strictly Italian in their beliefs and divorce was not an option. Then one evening when her husband was home early, she enquired about his workday and put on a good show of being interested. She only listened with half an ear until he mentioned $2500. The money was to be paid to a bounty hunter. She never could understand why her honorable and honest husband never collected any bounty money for all the crooks he had brought in. Doug was explaining that he would have to meet the man outside of town down by the river to hand over the money. It took very little skill on her part to get him to tell her exactly where and when the meeting would take place. It would all happen in 2 days time.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Lawman

Chapter 5

Matt didn't sleep much that night. The room he had rented at the only hotel in town was quite adequate, the bed clean and reasonably comfortable, but his mind was with Doug Hamilton. He had remained in the jail cell talking with his friend till late into the night. By the time he left he had a fairly clear picture of what had happened, at least as far as Hamilton told it, and he kept turning it over in his mind. As far as he could tell the evidence was all circumstantial and a fair trial should dismiss the charges, or at least find his friend innocent, but Matt knew he needed to prove his friend's innocence for sure or preferably find the person who murdered the bounty hunter to clear his name entirely.

The following morning he was at the jail early, but even so Gina had got there before him and had brought breakfast for her husband. When Matt started talking about going out to where the body was found, Gina declared she was planning to accompany them. He left them alone so they could enjoy their limited time together. There were a couple of telegrams he needed to send and then he would go along to the livery to arrange to rent a horse for himself and a buggy for Hamilton and his wife.

He had just left the jail when he was stopped by Etheridge, the leader of the town council. The little man was again swollen with his own importance and wanted Matt to explain what he planned to do about seeing that Hamilton was hanged for murder.

It had been all Dillon could do to keep his hands from flying out to grasp the little man's non existent neck. But he politely told him that the case against Hamilton had not been proved as of yet, and that under the laws of this country, a man was innocent till proven guilty.

"In that case, Marshal, if tempers start to run high in this town and mob rule takes over I shall hold you responsible."

"You do that," Matt replied. He had other things on his mind and very little patience for men such as this.

Etheridge was still fuming from the encounter when he entered the Aces Wild Saloon. A small wizened man was standing there behind the bar.

"I need to talk to you, Hackett," Etheridge told him in little more than a raspy whisper.

The man known as Hackett led the way to a room behind the bar. It was usually set aside for high stakes poker games that often went on long after legal hours and more often than not were conducted with the odds being in favor of the house more than they should have been. The furniture here was limited strictly to the essentials. A large round table covered with a green baize cloth dominated the centre of the room and was surrounded by eight leather chairs. An enormous chandelier with a dozen oil lamps hung over the table on a heavy chain, and more lamps where fixed on metal brackets around the walls. There was a drinks cabinet in one corner with half full whisky bottles and polished glasses set on top it and at the far end of the room was a floor to ceiling drape covering the only window to the outside. The whole place hung with the smell of old whisky and stale cigar smoke, both probably dating back years.

Etheridge and Hackett had been instrumental in bringing the new lawman to town, but had started to regret their efforts shortly after his arrival. Up until a year ago there had been an elderly Sheriff who maintained the law in Garden City. He managed to keep the worst offenders at bay, but was a little lax in enforcing local ordinances. Saloons would often stay open well past the prescribed hour, and card games were often run on less than honest principles. In return for his casual glances at these businesses he would receive a little bonus every few months. The system worked well as far as Etheridge, Hackett and a few other business owners were concerned until the Sheriff got himself killed and the town began to sink into a lawless state. Too much lawlessness was no good for an 'honest' man trying to run an 'honest' business and people began avoiding the town. That was when they decided they needed a new law man and Hamilton arrived on the scene. The problems began when he explained that he did not take bribes and saloons should be run in accordance with local ordinances. Furthermore "backroom" gambling had to stop, and in the saloons, poker and Faro tables should be run honestly.

During the following year, they began to see that what they thought was going to be a blessing, turned out to be more of a curse. They needed to rid themselves of this too honest lawman before he ruined their business, but sadly could find no excuse to cancel his contract. This murder charge had come as the perfect solution, that is until the interfering Marshal from Dodge City had arrived on the scene. Now they would have to re think the situation.

xxx

Gina left the jail knowing she was going to be busy for the next few hours. Johnny Halstead would be picking up supplies from the mercantile - she had to catch him before he left. There were some things that needed to be done before this Marshal from Dodge City rode out to the place where the bounty hunter was killed. First she needed to go home and fetch a pair of her husbands boots, and then see if she could find a loose button on the old faded shirt that he wore almost every day.

xxx

Matt spent his time making arrangements at the livery and sending his two telegrams. The telegraph operator was a little reluctant at first, but when Dillon looked down on him with clear steely blue eyes and explained that the badge he was wearing had the backing of the federal government, the man seemed to hesitate. Feeling that he now had the man's attention, the Marshal continued the threat, telling the operator he could have him removed from the position and a replacement here within twenty four hours. Matt wash't too sure he could, in fact, accomplish that, but sometimes bluff was all he had to resort to.

After he was as convinced as he could be that the wires got sent, he made his way to the livery. He didn't notice the two men hiding back in the shadows of the alley. Etheridge and Hackett had come to talk with telegraph operator and entered the building as soon as Dillon was a safe distance away. They wanted to know about the wires that the Marshal had sent, who they were addressed to and what they said. The poor little man was all confused by this time. He knew that the telegrams he sent and received were private and he had a duty not to reveal their contents to anyone other than the person they were addressed to. On the other hand he was somewhat scared of Etheridge who was a powerful man in the town.

"I had no choice, Mr. Etheridge." the little man was visibly shaking as he spoke. "He stood right over me and watched me send them, said he knew morse code from when he was in the army and if I didn't do it right he would see I lost my job."

"Well I'll see you lose your job if you don't tell me about them." As a little extra encouragement Etheridge took a $10.00 bill from his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Now does that help." Indeed it did and the operator decided that the man now standing over him was the more immediate threat.

"The first was to a Doctor Adams in Dodge City and said I need your help, that's all. The second was to a Judge Brooking, it was sent to the telegraph office in Wichita, to be forwarded if necessary."

"Well what did it say?" Etheridge was becoming impatient and the telegraph key had begun to chatter in the background.

"I have to answer that," the operator said looking at the instrument..

"Just tell me what he sent to the Judge."

"It was something about taking Mr. Hamilton to Dodge City so he could get a fair trial."

The key was rattling again, now more insistently.

"Go take care of it," Etheridge waived his hand in the direction of the key, "just be sure and tell me when you get replies." He pushed the money across the counter towards the man now fumbling the telegraph key with a shaking hand.

"Yes Mr. Etheridge I'll be sure to do that."

xxx

Matt found the livery stable, it was one block back off the main road through town. The young man who ran it also owned the blacksmith shop next door. He said he could have a buggy and a saddle horse ready for the Marshal but it would be after lunch as one of the animals had a loose shoe and as yet he had had no time to fix it.

That suited Matt well. He would go get a late breakfast and then talk to Doug. There were two small cafe's in town and he chose the one closest to the jail. He seated himself at a small table back in a corner so he could face the entrance - he never liked sitting with his back to the street. He placed his order with a middle aged woman who was apparently the wife of the owner. She had just set a cup of coffee in front of him when he looked up to see Gina walking through the door and heading straight towards him. He stood up and pulled out a chair, inviting her to join him. She was in somewhat of a hurry but would have coffee, she needed to talk with him.

Matt could not help but notice how pretty the young woman was, she seemed to have a charm that attracted men like a magnet. He could understand Doug's commitment to her.

"I have a confession to make Marshal." She spoke in a quiet but precise way that was almost seductive. She looked directly into his eyes then dropped her head a little. "I fear it is my fault that all this has happened." She took a deep breath and raised her head once more, to make sure she had his attention. Gina could read most men and know when she had them captivated by looking in their eyes. This man was a little different, she was not so sure.

"I had been telling Doug that we needed more money. We had to get a bigger house if we were going to have a family. I think that in some way I drove him to.…well I hate to say it, take the bounty money"

Matt looked at her, wondering why she was telling him this. At first he thought she had no reason other than confessing her guilt, but the more he looked into the innocent brown eyes that stared mournfully back at him, the more he believed she had another motive.

"I would never have said anything if I had known it would lead to this, I know he headed out to meet that bounty hunter, he told me it was to hand over the money, but now I wonder if I pushed him into doing these things they are accusing him of." She dabbed at her eyes with an embroidered lace handkerchief as he watched and felt the beginnings of suspicion form in the back of his mind.

"Do you really think your husband did this, Gina?"

She hesitated somewhat before looking at him again. "I don't know what to think, Marshal," she replied, trying to impress her innocent sincerity on him. Matt took a mouthful of coffee and swallowed, giving himself time to watch her before he replied.

"I have known Doug long time and am going to do everything I can to see he gets a fair trial. I personally don't believe he would murder a man for money but that decision will be left up to a judge and jury. Meantime I am going to do my best to uncover the truth.

She looked at him and a small smile came to her lips as she pushed the embroidered handkerchief back inside her small reticule.

"Thank you Marshal, I have to go now but I'll see you later."

He stood up as she left the table, and watched her walk out through the door. Now he had even more questions in his mind, but as he sat back down his food arrived and pushed the doubts out of the way.


	6. Chapter 6

Lawman

Chapter 6

Matt had hoped to arrive at the jail before Gina got there. He pulled the buggy over to the hitching rail, then untied the saddle horse from back of it and tied the animal directly to a post. Inside one of the two guards hired by Etheridge was again slumped back in his chair with feet on the desk.

The temporary deputy had grown used to the Marshal's comings and goings over the last few days and didn't even bother to put his feet to the floor as Dillon picked up the keys and made his way back to the cells.

Matt wanted to ask his friend for more details of the bounty hunter and the events that led up to the accusations of murder. For his part Hamilton related the story much as he had before, how he rode out to meet the bounty hunter, handed over the money and stayed by the river fishing for a few hours. As far as he knew no one saw him. It was two days later that some cowboy brought the body in. He was not sure if a full autopsy had been done and he didn't know why the town suddenly decided he had committed the murder.

"Where you short of money?"Matt asked casually.

Doug stopped and looked at him.

"You surely don't think I would murder a man to rob him, do you?"

"It doesn't matter what I think Doug. If this comes to trial we have to have some facts."

"Well I didn't. I gave him the money and he rode off."

"What about the man who brought the body in, do you know him?"

"I think he works at the Double D ranch about 10 miles east of town, I've seen him around but don't know much about him."

Matt was about to venture into more delicate questioning. He hated doing it, but tried to remember that his friend's life could depend on the answers.

"Tell me about Gina. Is she happy with the life you have together?"

Instantly, he replied "Of course she is, I love that woman."

"She's a lot younger than you Doug, sometimes younger women look for.." but he didn't finish. Doug sprung up from the cot where he had been sitting.

"Don't you ever say that Matt. I thought you were my friend." He was shouting the words, almost hostile.

"Whoa, calm down, I am just trying to get answers to questions you will be asked in court."

"You can't take me to trial, I'll never win and they'll hang me for sure. I didn't do it Matt, don't you believe me?"

Matt hated what he was doing but knew it was the only way to get to the truth.

"Why did you take this job?"

"I'm beginning to ask myself that. Gina didn't like that I was gone so much when we lived in Pueblo."

"Was anything ..going on?" It was a difficult question to ask, but he had to do it.

Hamilton stopped and looked at his friend. At first Dillon thought the man was going to come at him with fists flying, but he seemed to control his anger and taking a deep breath or two finally answered the question.

"I don't know Matt, at first, when I wasn't home, she began spending time with some of the other young women in town, but I must admit there were times when I wondered. Sometimes even when I was home she would tell me she had to go to a friends house to help finish a quilt or arrange a bake sale for the church. I did think it strange at times, but well..I guess I didn't want to know. She always came home even if it was late."

"Did you ask her about it."

"I did, but she swore it was just the women folk she was visiting, and that would stop if I was home more."

"So that's why you took this job."

"Partly. But I think I was a little tired of chasing outlaws and getting shot at. I wanted a family and to spend nights at home with my wife, not sleep alone out on the prairie."

Matt could understand that, sometimes he felt the same way - but in his case ..well that didn't matter now.

"How was it when you got here?"

"The work was pretty easy once I had made a few crooked gamblers leave town. Then after I got the saloons to close at two in the morning and send all the drunks home it got quite peaceful."

"Did you have any trouble with that?"

"A few of the owners wanted longer hours and all night Poker games in back rooms, but you know as well as I do that only leads to fights and killings."

"What about the Sheriff who was here before, how did he run things?" Matts eyes were on the door now, he knew Gina would be here any minute.

"I think he was paid to look the other way. He was a good man, but his idea of law and order was different to mine."

Matt understood. He got up from the stool where he had been sitting.

"I have a buggy outside, there's three places I want to see. Where you went fishing, where you handed over the money and where the body was found. I want you to give me your word not to try to escape, I don't want to have to put you in handcuffs, or spend the next week tracking you down because I didn't."

"You're really going to make me go through with this aren't you Matt?"

"If I have to."

"I thought you were my friend."

"If I wasn't I wouldn't be here."

"All right you have my word - for this afternoon."

Of course there were objections from the young deputy when Matt took Hamilton from the jail, but at this point the Marshal had more important matters to consider.

Hamilton drove the buggy and Gina sat beside him, to all intents and purposes the attentive wife. She even held on to her husbands arm and thanked Dillon for arranging this little trip for them both. Matt was unsure of what was happening, one minute he thought she was somehow involved in this and the next minute he couldn't believe she was anything but the loving wife she portrayed.

Their first stop was the place where the body had been found. Doug said he had not seen the place before but it was where the cowboy who brought the body in, had described to him. It seemed a little strange, from where Matt was standing it was a little to far off the road for a body to have been spotted by someone casually riding by. He told Hamilton and his wife to stay in the buggy while he looked around, he knew the chances of finding any tracks were slim, too much time had passed, but just in case he didn't want anyone else walking around and adding to the confusion. He walked carefully around the area but didn't see any broken limbs on the scrub bushes that grew here. At first he didn't see anything, he walked up and down for about twenty paces in each direction. He picked up a small quantity of the sandy soil run through his fingers. It didn't look like it had rained here in a while, if there had been any prints there should still be some evidence of them. Then something caught his eye, almost hidden in the shadow of overhanging branches. He walked over to it and squatted to get a closer look. The print was quite clear, made by a boot with a distinctive mark in the heel, like a small nick or splinter had been cut out of the leather. He was studying the detail when he became aware of someone coming up behind him. It was Gina.

"I thought I told you to stay in the buggy." He looked up at her as he spoke but there was no smile on his face.

"I just wanted to know if you had found anything."

He looked back at Hamilton who was still sitting there where he'd been told to wait. The woman had her hands in the pockets of her skirt, Matt thought it unusual for young woman to walk around like that but said nothing. She walked behind him, scuffing up the sand and he looked back to watch her hoping she was not destroying evidence. Then he saw it, a small white object just there where she had been standing. He picked it up and turned it over in his fingers - a small white shirt button. It maybe looked a little clean to have been lying there for a week or more, but all the same he would keep it. He said nothing and slipped it into his pocket. There was absolutely nothing else here, no spent rifle shell, no prints from horses hooves or broken twigs where a man might have fallen off a horse and no marks to show where the body had been hoisted on to another horse and taken away. Just a solitary boot print and a button.

They turned and headed back towards town, stopping less than a mile up the road, at the place where Hamilton said he handed over the money. It was indeed a lonely place by a bend in the river. There were plenty of prints here, from many different boots and horse shoes, but no print from the boot with the small piece missing from the heel at least that is what he thought at first, then he found one. It was blurred from weather but it was there and he could see the small wedge shaped cut in the outline of the heel.

"Matt" Hamilton was calling from the buggy, "Over there under that tree is where i stood fishing." He was pointing almost exactly at the place where the boot print was.

The Marshal continued looking around but could find nothing else. He did notice that now Gina stayed in the buggy beside her husband.

The return trip to town was uneventful, Doug let his wife off at their house, she told him she would bring him supper and clean clothes later.

With the man safely locked up again and the young deputy back on guard, Matt went back to his room at the hotel, he had a lot of thinking to do.

He removed his boots and laid back on the, hands behind his head, trying to relax and let his mind sort through everything.

He hadn't been there long when a knock on the door disturbed him. At first he tried to ignore it but it was repeated a time or two before finally being accompanied by the agitated sound of Etheridge's voice.

"Marshal, open this door we need to talk."

Matt reluctantly eased himself up from the bed and let Etheridge into the room.

"What is it you want?" Matt was tired and exasperated and his voice reflected that.

"I heard you took the prisoner out for a ride this afternoon."

"You heard right,"

"Where did you go."

"That is my business not yours."

"I think it is the town's business Marshal, and I have the right to know."

Matt stuck his thumbs in his belt and looked down on the self important town leader.

"It is my business, Mr Etheridge," he leaned across his visitor and opened the door, " now please leave before I lose my temper."

The man looked like he was going to object, he even began to open his mouth, but the heavy stare from the Marshal made him change his mind.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Lawman

Chapter 7

It was time to head back to the jail and talk to Hamilton yet again. Matt hated prying into his friend's private life but he had a feeling something wasn't quite right. When he crossed the street he heard talk amongst the locals. Small groups of men were discussing how the law man had murdered the bounty hunter.

"Now I don't hold with bounty hunters but shooting one in the back to take the money, that deserves lynching."

Another man was adding to the conversation. "If you ask me we should go haul him out of the jail before that Marshal takes him off somewhere and sets him free."

"I heard he took him and his wife out for a buggy ride this afternoon. Now that's a fine thing if you ask me, the likes of us having to work while he's off joy riding."

Matt continued walking. There would be trouble soon and he got the impression that Etheridge was behind a lot of it. Doc would arrive tomorrow afternoon, and once he had done his job they would leave. Fortunately Judge Brooking had accepted Matt's assessment of the situation and agreed to the trial being held in Dodge.

The jail was as quiet as ever when he arrived. The young deputy on duty was drinking coffee and reading a dime novel. Matt smiled to himself because it made him think of Chester.

"You know there's going to be trouble here Marshal. Mr. Etheridge said I didn't have to stay and get myself killed, he said the prisoner was your problem now."

Matt looked at him in disgust. "If that's how you feel about upholding the law, you better take that badge of now and leave."

"What are you going to do?" The young man asked as he looked at the tall Marshal in a new light. This man was not afraid, he wasn't about to turn tail and run. He believed in what he was doing. The young man, Jed Bowman, looked down at the tin badge Etheridge had given him. Did it really mean that much?

"S'pose I stay and help you, what is it worth."

"If you have to ask that, you wouldn't understand."

Jed couldn't help but respect this man. He couldn't remember respecting anyone ever before in his life, but now he began to feel a little pride in helping the US Marshal. Maybe there was something worthwhile about upholding the law.

He stood a little taller - he was still a good six inches shorter than Matt, but it felt good.

"Maybe I want to stand with you on this."

"I'll take all the help I can get. Just think about it before you decide."

Dillon picked up the keys and went back to the cells. Hamilton was lying on the cot, half asleep. Matt couldn't help it, he caught sight of the sole of the man's boot. There was a small nick cut out of the leather heel. It would match the footprint perfectly. His heart began to sink but then if the man was guilty would he have taken him to the very place where prints could be found.

Hamilton sat up and swung his feet to the floor.

"Sorry Matt, this life makes a man lazy."

Matt noticed that his friend was wearing freshly laundered clothes and asked about it, trying to make his remarks as casual as possible.

"Gina brought me a set of clean clothes - she even shined my good boots and brought them."

"Quite fancy clothes for a prisoner." He tried to say it with a grin.

"Did you find anything this afternoon Matt?" "I'm not sure." He didn't want to tell his friend about the distinctive boot prints and the button. Then he noticed - the neck of Hamilton's shirt, the button was missing." "Take your boot off a minute and let me look at it, and your shirt while you're at it."

Hamilton looked surprised by the request. "C'm'on Doug, I don't have time to explain now, but it could be important.

He examined the boot. It had been cleaned down to the last detail and he could clearly see the little defect in the heel.

"How'd that happen?" he asked. "I'm not sure, its been that way for a while. Gina was going to take it to the cobbler but I told her it was fine."

Matt inspected the shirt, it had been freshly laundered and carefully ironed. A button was missing from the neck, a button that, by looking at other buttons on the shirt, would be remarkably like the one currently in his pocket. On the other hand it also was a pretty close match to the ones on his own shirt and probably those belonging to half the men in town. He turned his attention to the shirt he was holding. It looked like the button had been removed with scissors or a knife rather than being torn off in a fight. He wanted to keep the shirt as evidence.

"Just tell Gina you spilled coffee on this one and put the dirty one back on."

"Matt will you tell me what's up?"

"No not now, maybe later. Right now I want you to tell me how you got locked up in here, whose authority?"

"It was that man Etheridge, he is chairman of the town council."

"Yes I've met him," said Dillon with a hint of disgust in his voice."

"He came along to the jail here and told me he had appointed those two youngsters as deputies and they were arresting me on suspicion of murder."

"I told him there was no way he could pin that on me. I met that bounty hunter and paid him off. Last I saw of him he was riding south. I was never even near where that man Halstead told me he found the body."

"Are you positive you never went there, maybe when you were fishing."

"No Matt I was up there around that tree I showed you."

"I believe you Doug, but we have a problem. Those boots you are wearing - the ones with the mark in the heel, there is a print out there near where the body was found that matches it exactly. It looks like someone was hiding out there in the bushes waiting for Williams to ride by. Are you sure you haven't been out there?

"No Matt, I have never been there, Halstead just told me that was where he found the body."

Doug sat on the cot and put his head in his hands.

"I can't believe this is happening. Someone is trying to frame me."

"Who might want to do that?" Matt paced back and forth across the cell.

"I don't know." The city marshal was looking worried now.

"How about Etheridge, have you crossed paths with him?"

"Well I suppose he didn't like it when I ordered the saloons to close at 2.00 am. - that is what it says in the local ordinance. And I stopped the crooked back room gambling in the Aces Wild. He did try to buy me off - said the old Sheriff used to allow it as long as he had his own men to keep the peace if an argument started."

"Who owns the Aces Wild?"

"A man called Hackett runs it."

"Does Etheridge have anything to do with it."

"He may. I often see those two talking. Matt what am I going to do?" There was frustration in Hamilton's voice.

"I need to find that Johnny Halstead, and I think Etheridge knows more than he's saying. Let me work on it."

"Don't take too long, Matt."

xxx

Matt didn't go back to his room that evening. He stayed in the front office with the newly appointed deputy for a while, then wandered the streets making rounds much as he would do in Dodge, the familiar routine helped him to think. In the Aces Wild Saloon a group of drunks were trying to get others fired up to go take over the jail. He went in to break up the gathering before more harm was done.

"You folks have done enough talking, its time to break it up and go home."

Several of the men turned and looked at him.

"You ain't got no authority here." One man stepped forward to face the Marshal and several others moved to back him up.

"I've got all the authority I need, now if anyone wants a fight let's go out on the street." The loud mouth stepped forward again.

"You can't shoot all of us Marshal, we're going to hang that City lawman you're protecting. He's a murderer."

"That hasn't been proved yet. Now if you're smart you'll all go on home, I'm closing this bar down."

He started towards the bar to tell the barkeep to stop serving drinks, one of the drunks came up behind him, with an empty bottle in his hand. As he raised his arm Matt swung round and delivered a swift backhand to the drunk's jaw. The man went down like a felled tree and Dillon looked around the group facing him. He watched one of them move his hand towards his gun.

"Don't tempt me Mister, I'll kill you for sure before I go down."

The man hesitated and backed away.

"I'm closing this saloon so pick up your friend here and go home."

They stood there looking at him for a moment, then one by one started to leave. Two of them helped the man up from the floor and headed him towards the door.

It wasn't long before the man known as Hackett burst into the bar.

"You can't do this, this is my business, I have a right to be open."

"I told you to close up. If this saloon is still open in ten minutes I'll throw you in jail."

Matt left the Aces Wild Saloon and walked along the board walk looking into the other drinking establishments of the town. The Aces Wild was definitely the place that did all the business, the other saloons had few patrons, but just to be safe he ordered all of them to close up, then watched as the stragglers from his first encounter scattered in different directions. Maybe he had things under control for tonight, he hoped so.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Lawman

Chapter 8

When he arrived back at the jail there was a small group of men standing outside the door. He pushed his way through, telling them to break it up and move on. They didn't make any attempt to stop him but didn't make any move towards leaving either. He ignored them for now.

Matt was surprised to find the young Jed Bowman still there.

"I heard how you handled those men in the Aces Wild, Marshal. Not many men could have done that. I think I'm going to stick around." Dillon smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Go and make sure all the rifles you have here are loaded. I'm hoping I can hold these man off - but just in case."

He went back to talk to Hamilton.

"If things get out of hand here tonight, I'm going to hold those men off as long as possible. That young deputy out there is going to help us - when I tell you, i want you to go with him and find a place to lay low for a few days. I want your promise again that you won't try to escape."

"Matt I don't want to be the principal guest at a lynching party, if it comes to that.."

"If it comes to that I'd understand, but the only good way out of this is to prove you are innocent and that's what I'm trying to do."

"My house, I could hide out there."

"No that won't be safe." Matt didn't want to start a long discussion, he didn't have time. "But what about Gina."

"I'll take care of Gina."

The noise outside the door was getting louder. He went to talk to Jed.

"Do you think you can get Hamilton out of here?"

"There is a back door leading to an alley - but surely they'll be watching."

Matt paced the floor for a minute or two.

"Maybe I can get their attention and clear the way for you. Is there anywhere you can go and hide out for a day or so?"

The boy thought.

"There's an old grist mill by the river - we used to play there as kids. The creek where it stands dried up and the mill hasn't been used for years. Its all overgrown but i know how to get inside."

"You'll have to go by foot, I can't risk bringing horses back here, it would attract too much attention."

Matt looked through the window at the gathering crowd of men outside the jail, someone had got them riled to the point that it was going to be difficult to talk them down.

"Wait here Jed, I'm going to see if they have anyone posted out back. Carefully he opened the back door and looked outside. There were only two men that he could see. He opened the door and walked deliberately towards the woodpile, pretending not to notice them. As he bent down to get an armful of stove wood the men approached. He waited till they were close enough then used the butt of his pistol to put one man on the ground, then grabbed the other one by an arm which he twisted up his back.

"Don't make a noise and you won't be hurt. Pick up your friend and come inside." He waived the colt peacemaker in the direction he wanted the man to move, and made him walk ahead. He told Jed to tie and gag the unconscious man and put him in the remaining cell. Then he took the one that was still walking in side the office and threw him in the chair recently vacated by the young deputy.

"Tell me who's organizing all this," he questioned as he stood back, gun still at the ready.

"No-one," the man replied hesitantly.

Matt stepped closer and slapped a quick backhand across his face.

"I don't have time for this, tell me or you wont be able to stand on your feet for a few days." The man reconsidered the threat and decided that he owed no allegiance to anybody.

"A man called Johnny Halstead."

"Look around that curtain at the crowd and tell me which one he is."

"Oh he's not there right now, I saw him ride out of town earlier." That piece of information he was happy to give, you couldn't hurt someone who wasn't here.

There were at least 20 men out there now, Matt knew he could take three or four down if the fight started, but he couldn't hope to win.

He picked up one of the rifles and headed out the door. There was a lot of jeering and yelling to greet him as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

One of the men stepped forward, he was older than the average cowboy in the crowd.

"We ain't got no grudge against you Marshal we just want that low down murderer in there."

"How do you know he's guilty. Who's the Judge and Jury here?"

"Its pretty obvious - he was the only one who knew about the money."

"That isn't enough to prove his guilt."

A general roar erupted from the crowd, and Dillon raised his hands to silence them.

"Hamilton wants to talk to his wife before anything happens, can you at least grant him that?"

The men talked among themselves, maybe they could allow that.

"I'm going to send this young Deputy to fetch her if that's alright with you."

Again there was some discussion.

"We'll give him ten minutes with her."

Matt went back inside and instructed Jed to leave by the front door of the office and head in the general direction of Hamilton's house. As soon as he was out of sight he should circle back. Matt would be waiting with the prisoner by the back door. Maybe he could give them enough time to get clear. They were to wait at the mill till he came and no one, not even Gina, must know where they were. He would come to get them within forty eight hours - he still had things to do around town.

The plan worked well and when Jed Bowman showed up at the back door Matt was waiting with his friend Doug Hamilton. He wished them well and reminded Doug of his promise.

Almost exactly ten minutes later the crowd outside began to grow restless again. The man who Matt had knocked out behind the jail was still asleep in the spare cell. He took the other man back to join him and locked them both inside. The crowd was banging on the front door of the jail by now and he knew it wouldn't hold them back much longer.

"We are coming in now Marshal," one man called.

He went outside and faced them, pulling himself up to his full height so he towered over most of them. It was a useful advantage he had learned years ago.

"Listen men, I'm telling you, its time for you all to go home before you do something you might regret. Let the law handle this." He stood looking at them, apparently relaxed but he held a winchester rifle in his hands and was ready to use it if he had to. At least that is what he wanted these men to think, he would probably just fire over their heads if it became necessary.

The crowd quietened for a minute, talking among themselves. Then the man who seemed to have been appointed spokesman stepped forward, encouraged by the others.

"We're coming in Marshal, you best get out of the way."

Matt stood aside, there wasn't anyway he could stop this many determined men. He really didn't want to start a gunfight. These men weren't bad people, they were just being used to further someone else's end and killing any of them wouldn't help Doug's case. Hopefully Hamilton and the young deputy were far enough away by now. He needed to go visit Gina and tell her what had happened, of course he had no intention of telling her where her husband was hiding out.

As he walked away from the jail he heard a roar from the men as they discovered that their prey had left. He thought they might come after him, but maybe cooler heads prevailed because gradually the noise faded away and when he turned to look back along the street towards the jail, the crowd was much less and small groups of three and four where breaking off from the main gathering and walking away.

xxx

After visiting Gina and assuring her that her husband was safe, at least for now, he made his way back to the hotel. Somehow Gina was troubling him. Admittedly she gave the appearance of being a loving caring wife, but even so why had she delivered the newly cleaned boots and freshly laundered shirt to the jail so soon after he had found the distinctive boot prints and the shirt button. Was it just coincidence? He put it aside, he needed some sleep. Already it was the early hours of the morning and he would have a lot to do tomorrow. Doc should be arriving on the afternoon stage and they would have an unpleasant task to perform.

Xxx

Elton Etheridge was concerned that this Marshal out of Dodge City would upset the smooth running of his town, yes, his town. He owned several businesses here, including the bank and the feed and grain store. He also owned a considerable interest in the Aces Wild Saloon, especially the back room gambling parlor. The income from these gave him a particularly affluent lifestyle that he would do anything to hang on to.

That young cowboy, Johnny Halstead, had done a good job of implicating Hamilton and getting the town turned against him. Of course twenty five hundred dollars was a lot of money and a good incentive, but to Etheridge it was worth it. The gambling at the Aces Wild Saloon could bring him more than that on a good Friday night. Unfortunately there was a woman involved somewhere in the deal and he knew that could lead to trouble.

Now this Marshal and his Doctor friend wanted to exhume the body of Dirk Williams, the bounty hunter. What could they hope to find now, six days after the burial?

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Lawman

Chapter 9

Dillon went to the bank soon after the stage had arrived from Dodge City. He forced his way into Etheridge's private office, and demanded to be taken to the place where the bounty hunter was buried. Etheridge had started to object, he didn't have time to ride out to the cemetery now. He had appointments scheduled for the rest of the afternoon, furthermore he didn't know exactly where the man had been buried. At that point Dillon had had enough and reached across the desk to grab the little man by the new silk cravat that had been so carefully tied that morning.

"You had best cancel those appointments and refresh your memory," the Marshal growled as he tightened his grip.

Etheridge was not a brave man, even though he put on his puffed up appearance as he strutted around town feeling very self-important.

He did try telling this Marshal he had no authority here, but only got a few words out before the tie around his neck grew tighter and breathing became difficult.

"All right, all right," he had managed to utter as he waived his hands in submission. The pressure on his neck eased somewhat but still he couldn't move.

"We're going to walk out of here, quietly, just like we're going to discuss a little business. Any objections on your part and the butt of this gun will come down on your skull so hard you won't remember what day it is for a whole week. Now let's go."

Etheridge had straightened his tie and tried to recover his dignity.

"You'll pay for this." he had told the man towering over him.

"Maybe," was the one word reply.

Once outside he had been pushed up into a waiting wagon, and found himself on the front seat next to an older grey haired stranger. The Marshal took up a position on the back seat directly behind him.

"Which way?" the lawman asked him. Etheridge decided the only option was to go along with the man's demands, after all it wouldn't help much if he was hurt, he certainly didn't want to get blood on his new silk tie or the custom tailored suit that it complemented so well.

They rode on in silence except when Etheridge indicated directions. It didn't take long to get to the cemetery.

"Which grave is it?" the Marshal asked, not too politely

"I don't exactly remember." The Lawman had jumped down from the wagon and taken two shovels from the back.

"You'd better remember pretty quick, because I'd hate you to have dig up more than one."

He thrust one of the shovels to the little man, who had hardly done a day's manual labor in his whole life. "What? You expect me to dig? I can't do that."

"Get digging." The lawman repeated. Then he turned to the grey haired man on the wagon, "Doc you can sit up there till we need you. C'mon Etheridge, put your back into it."

There were only three fresh graves there and Matt was quite prepared to dig up all three in necessary, but the leader of the town council was a little more reluctant. He was thinking of his tailored suit and silk tie.

"You'd better take that coat off Etheridge. I don't want you overcome with the heat."

It took the two men almost an hour to dig down to the body, which had been buried in a simple saddle blanket.

Matt had pulled himself up out of the hole and then turned around to help the little man climb out. He smiled to himself as he looked at the reddened face and muddied shirt. Even the nice city boots had lost their shine and gathered a little mud. The man was breathing hard and went over to lean against the wagon.

"Its all yours Doc," Dillon proclaimed as the physician took his black bag and climbed down from the wagon.

"I don't think your friend here looks too good." Doc gave a somewhat clinical look towards Etheridge.

"He'll be fine." Matt had uncapped a canteen and handed it to Etheridge, before taking a drink himself.

xxx

At least half an hour passed before Doc climbed up from the grave. Matt walked over to him.

"Did you find anything."

Doc was wiping his hands on an old towel he had brought with him.

"The body's been dead about a week, but at least they buried him deep enough where it was cool down there. I can't be totally accurate but I don't think he was shot in the back. I'll explain later."

The trio rode back to town in silence except for some grumbling from Etheridge as he inspected the damage to his fine clothes. He asked to be dropped off at his house; he didn't want to be seen around town in his present state of disrepair.

Later that evening, after eating a satisfying supper. Doc was explaining his autopsy findings.

"Like I told you Matt," Doc paced the floor and pulled on his ear as he tried to gather his thoughts. "It is hard to say exactly but it looks to me like that man was shot from in front with a heavy gauge rifle, the bullet went all the way through accounting for the blood on his back that your friend Hamilton noticed." He paused for a moment and looked out of the window of the hotel room onto the street. "The other thing is Matt, I am almost certain that he was moved a fair distance very soon after he was killed. He could have been put over a horse and carried ten or fifteen miles. I would say he was shot and then loaded across a horse almost immediately. He didn't lay around on the ground for more than say ten minutes at most."

"How can you tell that Doc."

"Like I said I can't be certain" He had removed his wire rimmed glasses as he turned around, and now punctuated his words by waving them in the air. "If I had been able to look at him five or six days ago I could be more certain, but from the looks of how the blood settled in his head and feet, I would think that would be the most likely thing."

"So its unlikely that he was shot, and lay on the ground for two days until found and brought into town by some cowboy."

"No I don't think that happened, I'd say he was buried within a day of being killed."

"Could you swear to that in court Doc?"

"Oh no Matt, I couldn't be that certain after all this time."

Dillon was becoming frustrated. He had hoped Doc would find something useful, maybe he had, but he needed more. He needed to talk to the cowboy who had found the body and brought it into town.

xxx

At the small house on the edge of town, Gina was packing some clothes to take to on her upcoming trip. The Marshal had come by the evening before to tell her that her husband was safe but not longer at the jail and that in a day or so he planned to take him to Dodge City. He wouldn't tell her more than that and didn't stay long.

xxx

There was a quiet knock on the back door and she looked through the window to see her young dark-haired cowboy standing there.

"Johnny, what's happening in town? That Marshal came by earlier and told me he had moved Doug to a safer place and was planning to take him to Dodge soon." The young ranch hand had removed his hat and taken her in his arms. This woman fascinated him more than any other he had known. The dark eyes that were so alive, almost hypnotized him.

For her part Gina always felt much better when he was around, somehow he made her feel that their plan would work and soon they would be free to go off somewhere together. Her feelings for this man were so strong that it was becoming increasingly difficult to play the devoted wife to Doug.

"Everything's fine, I have the money well hidden and it'll stay where it is until Dillon leaves town. You had better go on to Dodge and I'll meet you there."

He had already begun to loosen the buttons at the back of her dress and she felt excitement mounting within her. It was never like this with her husband.

"Once all this is over we can take the money and go back east."

"I'd like that," she told him while taking his face in her hands.

The thought of all the social events, theaters and music halls back in the big cities enthralled her, and with that much money they could enjoy them all.

She was grateful that her husband had been locked in the jail for the last week. At least she had not had to perform her 'wifely duties'.

Halstead began to ease them closer to the small bedroom. He really didn't like to think of Gina lying on this bed with Hamilton, on the other hand, it did do a lot for his manly pride knowing he had taken the lawman's beautiful wife.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Lawman

Chapter 10

Young Jed Bowman had given a good description of where the old Grist Mill was located and Matt rode out there early the next morning. The horse he had rented from the livery would not be good for any long trip but was all right for the few miles he would be traveling today.

He found the place quite easily, although as the deputy had said, it was well hidden and he could have ridden right past it if he hadn't known of its existence. There was still a small creek running along side it. Not big enough to turn the waterwheel, but enough to cause the nearby vegetation to grow and flourish and hide the old building.

The Deputy was there to greet him, and Hamilton was anxious to hear any news.

"Did you see Gina, Matt? How is she doing?" were the first words out of his mouth.

"She's fine Doug, I saw her yesterday evening and told her you were safe and we would be going to Dodge soon." He intentionally left that a little vague. He looked around the old mill. The remains of breakfast were visible in the form of crumbs and used coffee mugs on one of the old millstones.

"I went and got us some food Marshal," Jed informed him, "but nobody saw me come back here."

Matt had come to trust this boy. He couldn't be more than eighteen or nineteen years of age and Etheridge probably made him a deputy because he thought that at the first sign of trouble the boy would run. But the young man had more grit to him than that. As for Jed he had watched the Marshal carefully and understood that there was more to being a lawman than wearing a tin star. He would tell Etheridge that when he handed the badge back to him.

Matt turned to his friend. "Doug, I want to get you out of town on the late stage tonight. I think it leaves around midnight and there shouldn't be too many people on the street then."

"What about Gina?"

"I'll see that she gets there." He thought for a minute. "Meantime I need to go talk to that cowboy who found the body. Where can I find him?"

"He works at the Double D Ranch, about 10 miles East of town. The place is owned by Duncan DeWitt, he's a big name in this part of Finney County. They say he owns more that five thousand head of cattle."

After telling the two men to stay out of sight, Matt left the old Mill to ride out to the Double D ranch. On the way he decided to stop by Hamilton's place and tell Gina to be ready to leave later that afternoon.

xxx

Gina and Halstead where lying quietly on the bed, discussing their plans for the future. They were both certain that even if Hamilton didn't hang, he would certainly go to jail for a long time. Their future together seemed assured and with the money they had stolen they would have an easy life.

It was Halstead who heard it first; the sound of a rider approaching the house. He went to one of the front windows and his heart began beating faster.

"Gina, it's that Marshal, he mustn't find me here." She was ever the practical one.

"Where did you leave your horse?"

He's tied out back. I don't think he will see him unless he walks around there.

"I'll keep him busy while you leave by the back way, be quiet and walk your horse till you get away from the house."

Halstead grabbed his clothes and headed for the back of the house as Dillon knocked on the front door.

Gina grabbed a robe to cover the few garments she had on. She was not one to be flustered and had too much to lose to let this lawman destroy her plans. She watched as her lover closed the door behind him then went and looked out the front window, getting the lawman's attention.

Carefully and slowly she opened the front door.

"Oh it's you Marshal. You must excuse me, I had a terrible headache and was lying down." She made a big show of pulling her robe around her and tying it tightly with a pink sash. She thought she could hold any man's attention, but this one seemed to be more interested in looking around the room than watching her.

She had already made sure there was nothing to suggest she had had company. She just had to keep him here long enough to let Halstead get away.

"Please let me fix you a cup of coffee, I think i need some myself anyway."

"I can't stay long, Gina, I just wanted to tell you that we'll be leaving for Dodge later today. I'll stop by and get you this afternoon and take you to the depot."

Something just didn't feel right, the way she looked at him, she was trying to get him to stay. As politely as he could he refused the coffee and went back outside and mounted up as if he was going to ride away. Once she had closed the door, he made a big circle around to the back of the house and saw where a horse had been tied. He followed the fresh tracks that led towards the center of town. Of course he lost them there, so contented himself with taking the road east to the Double D Ranch.

xxx

The Double D ranch was easy to find. Matt rode on towards the house, but before he got there he saw a group of men standing around a pair of horses. As he swung down from the saddle he heard snatches of conversation that indicated a sale was in progress. A well built middle-aged man wearing a green shirt and tan coat came towards him. Matt introduced himself and explained he was looking for Johnny Halstead. The man turned out to be Duncan DeWitt, the owner of the Double D.

"I tell you Marshal, I had to fire that boy a couple of weeks ago. He'd got where he was never around when I needed him. I think he had a girl in town somewhere because for about the last month or so I couldn't get any work out of him."

Matt rode back into town, disappointed that he had not managed to find Halstead, but also curious about who was visiting Gina before he had arrived there earlier. Also interesting was the fact that Halstead no longer worked at the double D.

He returned the horse to the livery and went in search of Doc.

His idea was for Doc and Gina to return to Dodge on the afternoon stage and he would take Hamilton out on the one that left around midnight. He found Doc sitting in one of the two cafe's in town, ordering an early lunch and decided that since he himself had missed breakfast, he would join him.

The physician looked up as Matt came and sat at the table. The lawman was looking tired and worried. Doc knew for sure that he had been up trying to protect that friend of his until way past midnight, and then probably didn't get more than two hours sleep before he was off again this morning.

"Matt, come sit down and eat something."

For once Matt obeyed an order from his personal physician, ordered a steak and began describing his dilemma.

" You know Doc. I thought I could prove Doug's innocence, but all I have succeeded in doing is discovering evidence that he did lie in wait and bushwhack Dirk Williams. He had motive in that his wife was pushing him to make more money. I found boot prints and a shirt button where he lay hidden behind some bushes so he could bushwhack the man as he rode by. We know he went out almost to that very spot to hand over the reward. The only thing I haven't been able to follow up on is the cowboy that brought the body in two days later. I can't seem to find him."

"But you're not happy about it are you?"

"No. For a start you told me that the body we exhumed hadn't been out there lying in the sun for two days. And then I am not convinced about the other evidence I found - it was all too obvious. I was almost pushed into finding it. Then there's Hamilton's wife, she seems like she's devoted to Doug - but I'm not so sure."

The Marshal paused and ate a few bites of his steak. Doc said nothing, he knew his friend was sifting through the information he had obtained and didn't want to interrupt his thoughts.

Eventually he spoke again. "Somehow it doesn't add up. Doug is a good lawman. Money has never tempted him before, why should he suddenly change. Why did I get the feeling there was someone else with Gina when I arrived at the house this morning and why did she tell me she had pushed Doug into earning more money?" Matt paused for a moment, very bite he tried to eat seemed to get larger the more he chewed. Finally in frustration he set down his fork and looked directly at his confident, "And why can't I find Johnny Halstead?"

Doc looked up at his friend, concerned about the amount of stress he was under. "Can I do anything to help?"

"You've done a lot Doc, you've given me an idea - I just have to prove it that's all. I'll tell you what - there's a stage leaves here going east at about four o'clock, I want you and Gina to be on it. I'll follow with Doug on the late night one. When you get to Dodge get her a room at Ma Smalley's and, if you can, keep an eye on her till I get there."

Matt took some money from his pocket and handed it over.

"I'll have you get the fares if you would, I want to track this Johnny Halstead down before I leave here tonight. I get the feeling he is a key piece in this puzzle."

Doc sat back in his chair having finished his meal.

"You know Matt, you can't right every wrong in this world, just be careful here. I heard about the ruckus last night at the jail. It wouldn't be any good for your friend, or for Dodge if you get yourself killed. I don' t get the feeling that this town is too friendly towards the law."

"I'll be careful, but I can't let them hang a good lawman for something he didn't do." Matt studied the food on his plate, he realized that although he was hungry he had eaten very little.

Doc watched his friend for a moment, then continued in a softer tone,

"You yourself have said many times that it is the court that decides who's innocent and who's guilty."

"I know Doc - but I have to find the facts for the court to base their judgment on, and at present the only facts I've found seem all wrong."

He suddenly decided he had work to do. He stood up abruptly and threw money on the table to cover the tab.

"I'll have Gina at the depot in time for the stage." He picked up his hat and hurried from the table leaving the physician to watch him as he walked out onto the street. Adams knew his friend well. He tended to take on too many problems, but the sense of justice that burned inside him would not let him rest. He had seen it before and worried that Matt would be so driven that one day…. sadly there was nothing he could do to change things.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Lawman

Chapter 11

Dillon visited each saloon in town trying to find Johnny Halstead. No one had seen him since the night of the gathering outside the jail. Stranger still was the fact that since he had disappeared, the interest in lynching Hamilton had faded. The town seemed quiet again.

There were only three saloons of any worth in Garden City. He'd ordered a beer and talked to several of the patrons in each. He was surprised to find that most thought Hamilton had been doing a good job bringing order to the town. They thought he had been fair. Yes he had been strict on the saloons, making them close their doors at 2.00 a.m. and putting an end to the back room gambling that had so often ended in gun fire.

He also found out that Etheridge owned a large interest in the saloon called Aces Wild and that he was none to happy with enforcement of some of those city ordinances, some even said he had tried to pay the new City Marshal to turn a blind eye, much like the old Sheriff had done, but that was only rumor.

xxx

Etheridge had done his best to avoid the Marshal since their trip out to the cemetery. He was scared that this new lawman might find out about his role in getting Halstead to go out and ambush the bounty hunter, then bring his body into town and start the rumor that the City Marshal had been responsible for the killing. Halstead had taken it upon himself to go one step further and asked Gina to let a few people know that her husband had ridden out to meet the man just two days before his body was found. Etheridge had had nothing to do with that. He hoped it would not lead to any repercussions, somehow women always brought trouble. He looked up from the desk in his office at the bank just in time to see the tall Marshal walking by the bank window and hastily got up and closed his door. He called to his assistant just as Dillon entered the bank.

"You tell that man I am not here, I'm in a meeting…just get rid of him."

Matt walked across the bank to a clerk sitting behind a desk at the back.

"Can I help you, Sir," the attendant muttered, in a voice that said he was bored and helping anyone was the last thing he wanted to do.

"I need to talk to Mr. Etheridge." Matt was not in a mood to be kept waiting.

Another man came towards the attendant's desk. He was tall and very skinny with a sallow face dominated by thick glassed wire rimmed spectacles. "I am sorry Sir but Mr. Etheridge is in a meeting right now."

Matt had no time for this. He pushed through the small gate separating the front of the bank from rear and headed for the door that had Etheridge's name on it. 'Spectacles' made a halfhearted attempt to stop him, but Matt barely noticed.

Etheridge jumped up from his desk as the lawman came busting in.

"You .. You can't come forcing your way in here. This is a private office."

"I'm investigating a murder, Mr. Etheridge, and I can go anywhere I find necessary. I want to ask you some questions so sit down."

Matt was trying to control his rising anger. He had learned long ago that anger accomplished very little and could cloud his thoughts so he deliberately tried to block the emotion and think only of the man whose life he was trying to save.

Slowly Etheridge lowered himself into the fancy leather armchair situated behind his desk and Matt stood looking down at him.

"When did you first learn that the bounty hunter, Dirk Williams, had been killed?"

Etheridge was anxious to answer that one.

"Not until that ranch hand, Halstead, brought him into town. He had found his body out there on the prairie. He thought it had been lying there for a day or so."

"Did you know Halstead before that?"

"I had seen him around town sometimes I suppose, but I can't say I knew him. I think he works out at the Double D."

"So he wasn't someone you'd met in any of the saloons here in town?"

"Marshal, I wouldn't likely be drinking or doing business with a ranch hand now would I?"

There was a sneer in the man's voice that made Matt tighten his fists.

"So if someone thought they'd seen you talking to this man, they'd be mistaken."

"Marshal I run the only bank in town, I talk to many people in the course of my business and can hardly be expected to remember everyone of them."

"Who decided to accuse Marshal Hamilton of murder?"

"Oh it wasn't just my idea, no sir, .. I heard talk that he had ridden out to meet the man at the very spot where the body was found. He was the only one who could have done it. Nobody else knew about the money or the meeting.

"Did the money come through this bank?"

"Not exactly. The Marshal brought in a bank draught for the reward money and we cashed it."

"So you knew about the money?"

The banker gave a false laugh. "You surely don't think I rode out there and killed him."

"Right now I don't know anything for sure, Mr. Etheridge, but it seems to me that anyone who knew about the money could be suspect." Matt paused for a moment. "Tell me why you decided to hire those two young men as deputies and have Hamilton arrested, when you had no evidence to back up your accusation."

"It wasn't just my decision." Etheridge was trying to share the blame now. "Several of us on the town council went over the facts and that was the only conclusion possible. I do have connections Marshal." He puffed himself up a little more trying to find a way to impress Dillon with his own importance. "Mr. Williard Davis, as you may know, is the Attorney General in this state and he happens to be a long time friend of mine. I contacted him about the problem."

Dillon continued to watch him without speaking. He was never impressed by names or bureaucrats and kept his eyes locked on the nervous little man in front of him. Etheridge stood up from his chair and pushed his thumbs into the small pockets of his finely tailored waistcoat while trying to regain some of his composure. Apparently it had no effect on the Marshal so he shuffled his feet uncomfortably a time or two before trying again.

"I run this town Marshal," the little man tried desperately to demonstrate his position of authority and defend his actions.. "I don't have to answer to you."

"You do have to answer to the law Mr. Etheridge and in the state of Kansas I represent the law." Matt decided he wasn't going to get anything much out of this man - he was convinced that he knew something but without threatening him with physical violence he doubted Etheridge would admit to anything. He could let him stew awhile. The man he really wanted was Johnny Halstead and there wasn't much time to spare now if he was going to deliver Gina to Doc at the depot for the afternoon stage.

He left the bank and walked along to the livery to borrow a buggy, before heading to the small house on the edge of town.

The young woman was ready and waiting when he arrived. He thought she was remarkably calm for a wife whose husband was about to stand trial for murder, but said nothing as he loaded the two bags she had packed into the buggy, before helping her climb aboard.

Gina was quite surprised when they pulled up by the stage depot. She had expected Doug to be there. Dillon explained that he would bring her husband to Dodge later and that she would be traveling with Doc. The old physician's face lit up when he saw he would be riding with the dark eyed beauty, but Gina was still looking around like she expected someone else to be there.

"Keep an eye on her Doc," Matt whispered softly to his old friend.

While the hustle of loading the coach was going on, Matt went inside the office and purchased two fares on the late night stage going east. He looked around the gathered crowd but saw no familiar faces. There were several men who could have been Halstead from the description he had been given, but none was showing any particular interest in Gina Hamilton. He stood back watching until the stage pulled out and the crowd dispersed. There was a certain amount of relief knowing that Doc and Gina had left. All he had to worry about now was getting Hamilton out of town safely.

xxx

Johnny Halstead had only just made it out of Gina's House in time to avoid being seen by the US Marshal. He knew Gina was a smart woman and would easily be able to handle the situation but it did unnerve him a little. He had hurried back to town, he wanted to talk with Etheridge and find out what was going on. He didn't want to be seen around town so went directly to the back door of the Aces Wild saloon. There he found Hackett and told him to go fetch Mr. Etheridge - he needed to talk with him, now. While he waited he made himself at home in the back room where the big stakes poker games were played. He poured a glass of the fine whisky from the liquor cabinet, then opened the wooden cigar box and pocketed one of the contents for later. Easing himself into one of the big leather armchairs, he propped his feet up on the table and waited.

It wasn't long before the shape of Etheridge appeared in the doorway.

"I thought I told you not to come back to town until afte that Marshal left," the portly man uttered nervously. To begin with he had felt he was in control of this young cow hand, but now he began to wonder if that was so. "And get your feet off that table, how do you expect me to run a poker game if you have it all torn up.

Halstead took another mouthful of whisky from the glass before casually placing his feet on the floor and standing up. He walked defiantly to were the banker stood.

"If Dillon pokes around too much he's going to uncover the truth. Why did you let him dig up that body?"

"I ..I couldn't stop him."

"I thought you were the boss around this town."

Etheridge thought for a moment, somehow he did not feel so much in control anymore.

"I'll tell you something, Mr Town Leader," Halstead continued, "if that law man finds out what really happened to Dirk Williams, I am not going to swing alone, you will be right there with me."

"What do you want me to do?"

"The only thing I know is that Dillon must be taken down. It will be expensive but that is the only way we can be sure to get rid of him and that City Marshal."

"You've been well paid already," Etheridge remembered the twenty five hundred dollar reward and then the thousand he had paid him to frame Hamilton."

"Up to you, Banker," Halstead sneered, "it's your neck as well."

Etheridge considered for a minute. He needed to get the poker games going again, they brought in several thousand on a good night.

"Alright," he said. "Dillon must go - but not in this town or anywhere near it." He reached into an inside pocket and pulled out a bundle of notes.

"There's eight hundred here. It's all I have right now."

Halstead had the nerve to stand there and count it.

"All right, I'll follow them to Dodge and do it there. There's enough people gunning for that Marshal that no one will think it is connected with this deal."

"I don't want to see you again, Halstead. It's too dangerous, you need to leave town."

Johnny Halstead laughed - that is exactly what he planned to do, and now he was getting paid for it too. He knew he could not out draw Dillon, but he was not averse to shooting someone in the back from an alleyway. He and Gina would have quite a little nest egg by the time this was finished.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Lawman

Chapter 12

It was well into night. The town was still going strong with vast amounts of alcohol being consumed and presumably cards being played and fortunes being lost and won. Now that there was no effective law, the saloons had little incentive to close until the last customer had left or passed out on the floor. Someone would have to step in and maintain order here, but Dillon had more pressing things on his mind right now and, if necessary, he could assign someone the task later.

Once again he scoured the saloons for the young ranch hand but everyone he asked had seen no sign of him for several days. That man was the key to solving this murder, he was sure, but it was as if he had vanished from the town. Matt knew he would feel better when he had his friend Hamilton safely settled in Dodge. Safe, that is, until a trial that could come to a bad ending. Maybe if he could delay things a little he could track down this Johnny Halstead and find the truth.

He drove the buggy out to the old Grist Mill. No one followed him. He'd stopped and pulled off the road several times to check. Doug and young Jed Bowman were there and waiting for him as he pulled up in front of the old structure. He planned to get back to town just in time to catch the stage, no sense in either himself or Hamilton waiting around the depot and being targets for longer than necessary. He spoke quietly with young Jed Bowman, asking him to send a telegram to Dodge if Halstead happened to show up in Garden City again, somehow though, he didn't think it was likely.

The whole ordeal was beginning to stress Hamilton. He worried about his wife and his future, if he even had one. It could be many years in jail, or even worse, a noose around his neck, all for something he didn't do.

"Are you going to put me in handcuffs Matt?" Hamilton asked his friend as they headed back towards town. For many years he had worked on the side of the law and now the thought of being in handcuffs for everyone to see was something he couldn't handle.

"No, your word is good enough for me," Dillon had assured his friend. He couldn't help but remember the time when the authorities had sent Bill Hickock to Dodge to arrest him for murder. Even though there was a so-called witness to the killing, Hickock had treated him with trust and respect and that had helped Matt get through those dark days and eventually find the real killer.

There were four passengers in total on the stage that night and Matt carefully studied the other two. They were an elderly man and his wife who had been visiting a daughter in Colorado and were now headed home to St. Louis. Once they got to Dodge they planned to take the train for the remainder of their trip. They certainly did not pose any threat

xxx

Matt was watching through the window of the coach as they pulled out of town. He thought that if a man had murdered one time, he wouldn't hesitate to try something again. Hamilton had reasoned that way too and was busy watching out the window opposite. He had even gone so far as to ask Matt to return his gun, just in case. Matt had declined, knowing what the man's state of mind must be and how easy it would be to fire out of fear and frustration. He would rather accept the responsibility for defending his prisoner himself than risk his friend making a fatal mistake.

Dillon tried to remain alert throughout the trip, but the last few days had allowed very little sleep and he caught himself dozing a time or two. He woke with a start as the stagecoach slowed pace and changed direction. For a moment his hand started towards his gun, but relaxed as he looked and saw they were heading into the first of three relay stations. Quietly he told Hamilton to remain seated till he had had chance to look around. The driver had opened the door and he climbed down first, surveying the landscape for any sign of trouble. All was quiet and he reached up to help the elderly couple down, then signaled to his friend that all was well.

The process was repeated twice more before they pulled into Dodge. Front Street was relatively quiet and Matt decided that both of them could do with some refreshment.

"C'mon Doug, I'll buy you a beer before we go back to...my office." He found he couldn't say 'jail'. He hated the idea of locking his friend in a cell and was putting off the ordeal.

It was past lunchtime and the saloon was almost empty. Clem was busy cleaning the bar and washing glasses. Something made Kitty look up from the table near the rear, where she was talking with Doc, just as the two men appeared at the entrance to the saloon. She studied her cowboy for a moment just to make sure all was well, then beckoned them both to the table where she was sitting. Matt directed Hamilton to the back of the saloon and after introductions took his own familiar seat next to the owner. Kitty signaled to Clem and shortly four cold beers arrived at the table. The conversation was light. Doc explained that Gina had got a room at the Dodge House instead of Ma Smalley's and was probably sleeping after the journey from Garden City.

"I'll go over there later and let her know we are here," Dillon told his prisoner.

Doc had just got up to leave and visit a patient when two cowboys entered. Matt didn't recognize either of them and looked at Kitty. She gently shook her head indicting they were strangers to her as well. They bought a bottle of whisky and sat at the table next to the trio. At first they were quiet, just consuming their whisky and talking in low voices. Matt turned his attention back to his own table and conversation, then suddenly became aware of a raised voice behind him.

"Well I'd say if that was any other murderer he'd be locked in the jail by now, not sitting here drinking beer with a US Marshal."

The words were hardly spoken before Matt had pushed his chair back and turned to face the cowboy who'd been speaking.

"If you've got anything to say Mister, I'd suggest you say it to my face." The cowboy stood up from the table, knocking over the whisky bottle in the process. He pulled himself up to his full height, still several inches shorter than Dillon.

"I was just remarking that I'm not too sure about a Marshal who'd sit drinking with a murderer, just because he's a fellow lawman."

"I think you should mind your own business and go do your drinking somewhere else." Dillon stood his ground, he didn't want to start a fight here and now, but if pushed he was ready.

It looked for a minute like the cowboy was going for his gun, but the other man at his table spoke up. "C'mon Slim, we'll take our business elsewhere."

The tension subsided as both men picked up their hats and headed for the door.

Matt sat back down thoughtfully.

"I wonder who told them?" he questioned, as much to himself as to the others.

A short while later he took Hamilton along the boardwalk to the jail.

"I don't like doing this, but I think it will be safer for everyone for now." He had hated seeing his friend in the jail in Garden City, but this was worse, this was his jail.

"I'm sorry Doug, I need to check that you don't have any weapons before I lock you up." It was one of his own rules, something that had saved his life several times, and there could be no exception. Exceptions always led to trouble but right now it felt all wrong, even so it had to be done. Hamilton cooperated while Matt searched his coat and made him empty his pockets. As expected he found nothing and that only left the difficult process of locking him in a cell.

"I'm going to prove this is all wrong Doug. Someone is pushing me too hard to find you guilty and I mean to find out who it is."

"Thanks Matt." Hamilton sat dejectedly on the cot as if trying it out for comfort. "You'll tell Gina I'm here?"

"Yes, just as soon as Chester gets back." Then he thought of something. "Did you recognize either of those men in the Long Branch just now?"

"I'm not sure Matt, I was wondering the same thing. Maybe I had seen them around town in Garden City - but certainly not recently. I really can't be sure."

"I'll check it out, you just get yourself some rest, and when Chester gets back I'll have him bring you some coffee." Matt closed the door leading back to the cells and went to sit at his desk. Briefly he ran his fingers through his hair, feeling the beginnings of a headache. After a minute or two he settled down to checking the mail that had accumulated in a large but neat pile while he'd been away. A new set of wanted posters could wait a while. There was a note form Judge Brooking. He would be coming to Dodge next week. Another envelope contained an official notification that an attorney had been appointed to present the case against City Marshal Hamilton. His name was Josiah Benton and he would be arriving any day on the Santa Fe.

Things seemed be moving too fast. All the evidence he had was wrong, the only thing on his side were Doc's findings that suggested that the bounty hunter had not been left lying on the prairie for two days before being brought to town as had been claimed. Unfortunately Doc had said there was no way he could swear to that.

Right now there were at least two men in town who were aware of the case, how they came upon that information was a mystery, but the only people who knew about all this were in Garden City, except for Gina and of course Johnny Halstead who hadn't been seen for days. He knew that Doc would not have said anything about it.

Dillon sat thinking for several minutes before Chester returned. He took him back to the cells and introduced him to Hamilton, then leaving them to talk for a while, he went back along Front Street to the Long Branch. He wanted Kitty to go with him to see Gina. He just couldn't make up his mind about that young lady, but he knew that Kitty Russell was an expert when it came to understanding women and he wanted her opinion.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Lawman

Chapter 13

Howie told them that Mrs. Gina Hamilton was in room twelve.

"That poor young woman," he added, "having a murderer for a husband." That made Matt wonder if she wasn't the one who had started the rumors in Dodge.

"Did she tell you that?" he asked, wondering how Howie had come by that piece of information.

"Well not in so many words Marshal, but I heard…"

Matt leaned across the counter and grabbed the clerk's tie before he could finish the sentence.

"Remember Howie, all you heard were rumors, and usually rumors are untrue, so if I were you I'd keep quiet about what you heard and leave the business of the law to me." Kitty had taken a step back. In some ways she felt sorry for the little mouse of a man who ran the front desk of the hotel, but by now he should know better than to cross her cowboy.

xxx

Matt knocked on the door to room number twelve.

"Gina it's Marshal Dillon, I need to talk to you."

He heard some movement inside the room before the answer came.

"Oh! just a minute Matt, I'll be right there." Kitty looked at Dillon and raised her eyebrows in question. "Matt?" she mouthed. He just shook his head in bewilderment. Again more sounds from the other side of the door then in another minute it was thrown open. Kitty was instantly aware of the dark cascading hair that descended to shoulders barely covered by a low cut dress. That and the flashing dark eyes would be almost guaranteed to attract the attention of any man around. She noted how the woman's eyes darkened when she saw that Dillon was not alone.

"Mrs. Gina Hamilton, Miss Kitty Russell," he introduced them, all the while trying to read the shadow of emotions crossing the younger woman's face. He went on to explain that Kitty would be happy to show her around the town and help her find anything she needed. He also explained that he had Doug safely at his office and she was welcome to come visit him any time.

While he was talking he couldn't help but notice that the window, which opened onto the back of the hotel, was pushed way up. He went to look outside into the alley and noticed the small roof covering the back entrance just a few feet below. From there it would be an easy jump down to the ground.

Kitty started talking to Gina, telling her about Delmonico's and several other places in town. She had picked up on his need to look around the room and was trying her best to provide a distraction.

Matt thought he had gained all the information he was likely to find here and turned back to Kitty giving the slightest nod in her direction. It was amazing how the red headed saloon owner could read his mind.

"I just wanted to come and meet you Gina, and if there is anything I can do to help, you can usually find me at the Long Branch," Kitty was saying.

"We'll leave you now Gina," Matt added, "My office is just across the street, you can't miss it." He smiled at her and held the door while Kitty bid the dark haired Gina goodbye.

"Well Kitty what do you think?" he asked once they were safely outside on the boardwalk once more.

"Well for a start she didn't like it that you hadn't come alone, but fortunately I did get the feeling that the dress and hair were not intended for your benefit."

"I did wonder if there had been someone else in the room." Dillon commented.

xxx

Even though she had some doubts about Gina, Kitty inevitably tried to befriend the young woman. She remembered how she had felt when Matt was accused of murder about two years ago. Bill Hickock had been sent from Abilene to arrest her cowboy and take him in for trial. Although she had done her best to put on a brave face at the time, her insides had been in turmoil. Fortunately at the last minute Matt and the Sheriff had managed to get a confession from the drifter who had been paid to say he saw the murder. It began to look like there would be no such last minute reprieve for Doug Hamilton.

xxx

Matt spent many hours talking to the City Marshal, going over and over his version of the events leading up to the present situation and trying to find some ready explanation for what could have happened to Dirk Williams the bounty hunter.

"Are you sure no one knew you were riding out to hand over the reward money."

"Matt I told you, I purposely kept quiet about it. I hardly ever discuss my business with anyone." Somehow he never thought to mention that he had discussed it with Gina. It always seemed so natural to tell her everything.

"I even took fishing gear with me when I rode out of town so folks would just think I was taking the afternoon off. And then I checked several times that I wasn't being followed."

"And you handed over the money there by the river?"

"Yes right there where I usually fish."

"You never rode on to the place where Halstead told you he found the body."

"No Matt, I never went near there."

"Maybe you were there a few days earlier?"

"No Matt, I can't prove it to you but I was never there."

Matt stood up and walked across the cell and back, how many times had he been through these same questions, always the same answers. Nothing.

"Doug, I hate to say this but you may need to find an attorney. The state is sending Josiah Benton to run the prosecution."

"You know I don't have money for an attorney. Is there no way out of this Matt? I didn't kill Williams, don't you believe me?"

"I believe you but it is the court that matters. Let me see what I can do."

"I know you've been trying to solve this for the least week now, you've hardly taken time out to sleep, but so far what have you accomplished?"

"I know Doug, but I'm going to find the answer," he took a breath before continuing "I promise."

Matt knew better than to make a promise he had no idea how to keep, but he hated to see his friend in such distress or think about the reality of a possible hangman's noose in the man's future.

His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock on the door leading back to the cells. Gina was there with a food basket in hand.

"Good evening Marshal Dillon," she smiled sweetly. "Kitty was good enough to introduce me to Joe at Delmonico's and he packed supper for Doug and I. Is it all right if I come in?"

Matt looked up from where he had been sitting on the small stool in the jail cell. Gina was now wearing a pale yellow dress that fitted her to perfection. Her hair was in a twist and skillfully arranged under a complementing hat. The bare shoulders he had seen earlier were now covered demurely so that here and now she was the sweet devoted wife. He blinked his eyes trying to clear the confusion in his head as he stood up and opened the cell door.

"Come on in Gina." Doug was already on his feet waiting to take his wife in his arms. Matt knew it was time to leave them alone.

He returned to the front office, closing the door to the cells to give the young couple some privacy, and telling Chester to let Gina out when she was ready to leave.

In the Long Branch Saloon, the evening business was well underway. Dillon walked through the swing doors and took a seat at the table that most of the regular customers avoided, knowing it was "reserved"

He sat down, placed his hat on the table and wearily pushed his fingers through his hair. It wasn't long before Kitty came to join him with two mugs of beer in hand.

"You look tired Cowboy," she told him

"Kitty I just made a promise I'm not sure how I'm going to keep. I'm thinking I may need to go back to Garden City and look for this Johnny Halstead. Maybe he is the key piece in this puzzle. I have another problem, the state has appointed a prosecuting attorney for the case against Doug and he cannot afford legal council for his defense.

Kitty thought a while. "Maybe I can help Matt, I have a friend in St. Louis. Let me see what I can do. Meantime you look like you need a good night's sleep."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Lawman

Chapter 14

The bed was warm and comfortable and the familiar scent and feel of Kitty Russell was right there beside him, but even so he could not sleep. He pictured in turn each of the many hangings he had been forced to attend as a witness. He always tried to stand so far back that he almost couldn't see. Every time he watched a man hang it would make him sick to his stomach and he would dream about it for many of the nights that followed. Most of the men he escorted to Hays City for hanging had deserved what they got, but even knowing that, it was not a pleasant thing to watch, in fact it was the stuff of nightmares. Now he watched as a familiar face turned to look at him and began climbing the steps towards the hangman's noose. It was Doug Hamilton, not as he looked now but as he did when they were just kids, young men trying to reach manhood and find their way in life. The face looked back at him, "you promised, you promised.." He ran towards the steps determined to rescue his friend, his heart was pounding and he could feel the sweat pouring down into his eyes. The Sheriff stepped forward and grabbed his arm "No Matt, Matt," he tried to break away, "Matt wake up." Something cool touched his forehead and the gallows faded away. At last he managed to open his eyes and was rewarded by the sight of the woman he loved. He was breathing hard as he struggled to clear his mind of the ugliness of the dream.

"It's Kitty, Matt, wake up, you were having a nightmare."

He felt her hand on the back of his head, pulling his face gently into the angle of her neck.

"It's alright," she soothed stroking her hand through his hair. She could feel his breath coming with hard rapid gasps, almost like he was sobbing. After a minute or two he calmed. "I'm sorry I woke you Kitty." He sat up and swung his long legs out from under the covers to sit on the edge of the bed putting his head in his hands. She reached over and softly rubbed his back.

"You need a drink," she pulled herself to the other side of the bed and went to the small bar she had set up in her room. She poured a generous shot of whisky into a glass and returned with it.

"Here drink this, it'll make you sleep."

Gratefully he took the glass and swallowed the contents, almost in one gulp. After a few more minutes they both laid back down again and this time he slept without interruption until first light penetrated the window and he knew it was time to make morning rounds.

xxx

Johnny Halstead had spent a much more pleasant night. When Gina had returned to her room after visiting her husband at the jail, she found her lover waiting for her. He told her that he planned to get rid of Dillon to stop him interfering in the trial, but Gina was smarter than that.

"Johnny think! Dillon is the only one that saw the foot print that we put out there, and he found the button from Doug's shirt. We have to let him give that evidence before you do anything."

"What about that Doctor. Etheridge let them go out there and dig up the body, supposing he knows something."

"I think he's a harmless old fool. I talked to him on the stage. You should have seen me Johnny, I had him convinced that I was the caring, distressed wife, just begging him to tell me if there was anything he knew that could clear my poor dear husband. I am sure he knows nothing."

xxx

Kitty was the first to notice the young cowboy with the green eyes.

Halstead had left Gina's room using the window as he had been doing for several days now. No one in this town knew him and he felt he could move around safely. He wanted a drink and found himself propping up the bar in the Long Branch. The last few days had been exhausting. First there was the ride from Garden City to Dodge, then the problem of remaining out of sight for days. He had felt fairly safe in Gina's room - that is until the Marshal and Kitty Russell had come knocking on the door. That was the second time Dillon had caused him to leave Gina's company in a hurry and it did not sit well with him. He had another worry, if Hamilton were not convicted he would lose Gina and maybe even his own life. Especially if Dillon stayed determined to find who murdered the bounty hunter. He had come up with the idea that should help get that city marshal convicted and didn't want all that carefully planted evidence going to waste. He wanted to be sure the jury heard about it even if it put himself at some risk. He had always been a bit of a gambler and considered the stakes to be worth it, he did not want Dillon to forget about that boot print. The button had been Gina's idea and he was not so sure about that.

He ordered a bottle of whisky and a glass and took it to an empty table. There was a new saloon girl that Kitty had hired a few days ago, her name was Daisy and she had an unusual combination of blonde hair and dark eyes. She saw the cowboy sit by himself at a table and decided to join him. Of course he did not object to her company and called for an extra glass for her, then steadily worked his way through the bottle before ordering a second. Something about him caught Kitty's eye, she had never seen him before. She had heard the description of Halstead from Matt and this man sure fitted it, quietly she told Clem to find the Marshal and bring him here.

It wasn't five minutes before the head and shoulders of the tall lawman appeared above the batwing doors. Halstead was still sitting talking to Daisy and appeared a little the worse for wear from the alcohol. His voice was getting noticeably louder and when he saw the Marshal's face looking at him he struggled to his feet.

"I heard you've been looking for me Marshal." His words were a little slurred and anyone would have thought the liquor had had an effect on him.

Matt was still cautious.

"What's your name cowboy?" Matt had come to stand next to the table and eyed the man carefully.

"Johnny Halstead. You should know that." There was a slight hiccough in the man's voice.

"I want you to come down to my office, we need to talk." The man looked like he might object for a moment, but changed his mind and was easily escorted out of the saloon and along to the jail.

When they entered the Marshal's office, Chester was sweeping the floor and singing some song he had probably made up the night before. The door to the cells was closed and he explained to his boss that Mrs. Gina was back there with her husband. Matt knew that Gina had made a big impression on Chester and he would let her visit whenever she wanted.

"Put the broom up for a while, Chester," Matt told his assistant "and pour us a cup of coffee." If Halstead was as drunk as he appeared, a cup of Chester's coffee would do a lot to bring him to his senses.

He opened the door to the cells, to see Gina sitting on the cot and holding hands with her husband. He was certain he sensed surprise on Halstead's part when he saw them there, but made no comment.

"Doug," he called, "is this the man who brought the body to your office in Garden City."

Hamilton came and stood by the cell door and looked at the young cowboy.  
"That's him Matt."

Matt noticed how Gina's eyes lingered on the man standing beside him, almost as if she wanted to say something, but instead she turned her back and went to stand by the small cot.

Matt questioned Halstead for almost an hour. He seriously doubted that the whisky had affected the young cowboy as much as he pretended. He was very curious to know why the man had come to Dodge.

"Just doing my duty as a citizen," the man had replied, I'd found that poor man lying out there on the prairie, just left for the vultures like that, I knew I had to play my part in finding who did it." He looked back towards the door to the cells as he spoke. Matt had deliberately closed it, but now he watched as Halstead kept glancing back at it.

"Tell me," Matt asked trying not to put much emphasis on the question, "how was he lying when you found him."

"What do you mean." The question took the young ranch hand unawares.

"Well was he lying on his side, or his face or what?"

"Oh he was lying face up, Marshal. I had to look around for his horse too."

"How did you manage to lift him up onto the back of the animal, a dead weight that size must have been very heavy."

"Just did what I had to I guess." The man seemed unsure of himself now.

"Were there signs of a camp fire there or did you think he'd been shot while riding along the road."

"Don't suppose I gave it much thought Marshal."

"Understandable," Matt commiserated with him, trying to lull him back into feeling safe with the answers he had given. Time to catch him out later - preferably in the court room. He asked him again, "How come you decided to come to Dodge now.

"I'd been out of Garden city, Marshal. I work at the Double D, it keeps me busy. When I came back to town they said you were looking for me so I decided to ride on here."

Matt didn't say anything about the obvious lie. DeWitt had said he fired this man two weeks ago.

"I guess you'll want me to give evidence at the trial."

"Maybe. Tell me where you're staying and I'll let you know."

"I haven't got a place yet," Halstead admitted.

"Don't worry, I'll find you, you can get back to your drinking now."  
Halstead had no reply. Right now he was more interested in what Gina was doing behind that door to the cells, than anything this Marshal had to say.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Lawman

Chapter 15

Dillon had to meet the State Prosecutor, Josiah Benton, off the train from Wichita and escort him to the Dodge House where there was a room reserved in his name. The man seemed pleasant enough but Matt could not ignore the fact that this man was about to help convict his friend of murder.

Meantime Kitty had wired a long time friend in St. Louis who was a well known attorney in that town. Sadly he was involved in a case and couldn't leave, but would send his nephew, who it turned out had obtained a law degree just two months earlier. This case seemed hardly likely to be something someone with so little experience could handle, but there was no other choice.

The young attorney arrived on the two o'clock stage from back east. He introduced himself as Daniel T Pascoe. Kitty was standing with Matt at the depot when the coach pulled in. The passengers climbed down one by one until finally a young man little more than a boy really, found his way out of the carriage. He was tall - well not as tall as Matt but taller than average and very skinny so that his arms and legs appeared long and gangly He had a thatch of straw colored hair which forced its way from under a faded felt hat. His clothes were travel worn and when he climbed down from the stage Matt noted that the left boot the young attorney wore, had a hole in the sole. The whole picture did not inspire confidence.

Kitty looked up at Matt. "Best I could do," she whispered, raising her eyebrows. He shook his head very slightly then went forward to greet the young man. What the young attorney lacked in age and appearance he made up for in enthusiasm and almost immediately asked to be taken to talk with his client, his first ever client he eventually admitted. Matt escorted him to the jail and introduced him to Hamilton. Of course Pascoe wanted to be left alone with the City Marshal so Matt closed the door and retreated to the front office.

xxx

It was the day before the trial was set to start and the two women were eating lunch at Delmonico's. Matt was busy organizing a group of citizens to get the court room set up in the lobby of the Dodge House and then he had to find men to serve on the jury. At any minute Judge Brooking should arrive in town so every one would be busy and she didn't want Gina to be left alone. The young woman couldn't even visit her husband because that attorney Pascoe was spending all his time with Hamilton, going over the events leading up to his arrest.

Gina's manner seemed a little inappropriate for the situation. She had found some fabric that she liked in Mr. Jonas' store and wanted to know who Kitty recommended as a dress maker. Maybe that was just a distraction for her from the events that were about to take place. Like Matt she was impressed with how much time the young woman spent with her husband. Most every day from around noon until well into the evening she would sit in the cell holding his hand, talking to him or bringing food even so Kitty had a feeling something was not quite right.

She hardly saw Matt all day, and the only time she caught a glimpse of him his face was harrowed and gaunt. This had been hard on him, but she knew he would see it through and continue to do the best he could for his friend. One thing for certain, Matt Dillon did not take friendships lightly.

It was still quite early in the evening when her cowboy came to her rooms. In his hand he carried a crumpled up shirt. It was a brown plaid in color and as far as she knew he did not own one like that.

"Kitty look at this for me, there's a button missing, see if you can tell me anything."

She took the shirt and laid it out on the small coffee table. The button was missing from the neck

"What do you want me to tell you."

"I'm not sure, but something doesn't seem right." He went on to describe how he had found the footprint and the button, both of which seemed to indicate that Hamilton had been lying in wait for the bounty hunter.

"I don't know why, but somehow I don't believe this was there by accident."

Kitty took the button and held it against the others on the shirt. It was indeed a perfect match.

"Well.." she considered carefully for a moment, "it sure enough looks like it came from this shirt. It does match all the others, but I bet it would match buttons on your shirt too, it is pretty common." She inspected the place where the button was missing. "Looks like it was cut from here. The threads have smooth edges - not all ragged and twisted like it would if it had fallen off on its own. You know how it looks when you bring me one of your shirts to repair."

Matt considered for a minute. He had thought that, but was by no means an expert. He had considered asking Doc who had a lot of experience with a needle and thread - but thought that Kitty might have a better understanding because she was always the one to sew buttons on his own clothes when needed.

He continued to look troubled.

"Does that help?" she asked him.

"I don't know. I have another problem with both those pieces of evidence. Neither looked like they had sat out there in the dirt and sun for two weeks, which is how it was supposed to have been."

He stood thinking for a while, he would have to turn all this evidence over to the court, and doubtless he would have to tell about the boot print. Somehow it felt like he was tying the noose that would go around his friend's neck.

Matt went back to the jail and spent an hour or more talking with Hamilton.

"How's Gina doing?" the man asked. "Mr. Pascoe was here most of the day and I hardly got to see her."

"Kitty's been taking care of her, Doug, she's doing fine."

"That's more than can be said for me," the prisoner half mumbled.

Dillon went to the front office and took a bottle from the cupboard under the wash stand and accompanied it with two of the white coffee mugs.

"Here Doug, maybe this'll help you sleep tonight." He poured two generous measures and handed one to Hamilton. The two men sat in the dimly lit cell and tried to lose their fears in the warmth of the alcohol. Matt heard Chester enter the front office and was grateful that his assistant did not call out or come looking for him. He didn't really want to talk to anyone right now, after all there wasn't much left to say. After a while he reached over and poured more of the rough whisky into Hamilton's cup, then got up from the stool where he had been sitting.

"I've got to go make rounds Doug - but Chester will be out front if you need anything."

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Lawman

Chapter 16

The trial was going badly, Kitty could tell that just by looking at Matt's face. She did not want to be there because she knew how hard it was going to be on him to give evidence against his friend and she hated to watch him go through that ordeal. At the same time she wanted to support Gina who insisted on being present for every minute of the proceedings. She finally got Matt alone in the quiet of her rooms and learned that somehow the prosecutor knew about the bootprints he had found and the button from the shirt and the court had ordered him to produce the incriminating foot wear and the shirt. It could only go towards establishing his friend's guilt.

Poor Daniel T Pascoe seemed totally lost. He did make a few objections and when it was his turn to question Dillon, he managed to raise the marshal's observations that the button threads on the shirt were more like a clean cut than frayed out cotton and the fact that the boot print at the supposed murder site was too clear for the length of time it was supposed to have been there but all of these things were countered very easily by Josiah Benton who pointed out that the age of the boot print was Marshal Dillon's opinion and he was a long time friend of Douglas Hamilton. The shirt was passed around the members of the jury - but men had little clue about how a cut thread would compare with a frayed one, so were not impressed

Doc had been called to the stand and clearly stated his findings at the time the body was exhumed. Again the prosecutor pointed out that his findings were very different from that of Garden City's physician who had written a very precise report that basically said the cause of death was a bullet in the back. Pascoe did try to emphasize the number of autopsies Doctor Adams carried out for Ford County and how his findings were always accurate and detailed but again this did not seem to impress the jury very much either.

xxx

Halstead was called to the stand first thing the following day. The prosecutor asked him such things as his name and where he worked. When he said he worked at the Double D Ranch, Dillon wanted to tell the court that the owner of the Double D had fired this man several weeks before all this started. He made a short note on a piece of paper he had in his pocket. The ranch hand explained how he had found the body just lying on the ground back off the trail and how he had managed to get him over the horse and bring him in to Garden City and Dillon added to his note.

Pascoe started to get up and question the ranch hand. Somehow Matt managed to catch his eye. The man may have been a young, green attorney, but he was astute enough to know that the Marshal was trying to tell him something. He turned to the bench.

"Excuse me Judge but could we take a short recess before I start my questioning."

Halstead was already feeling the thrill of victory. There was no way he could lose now. The money and the beautiful woman, both his. He didn't want any delay. Judge Brooking looked around the court for a moment then banged his gavel.

"Ten minute recess," he declared. Pascoe had been lucky - Judge Brooking wanted a second cup of coffee, and this break provided the opportunity. Everyone in the courtroom stood before the Judge left and Matt took the opportunity offered by the confusion passed his note to Pascoe.

The judge returned in exactly ten minutes and court resumed.

Armed with the Marshal's observations Pascoe started his questioning.

"Do you still work at the Double D, Mr. Halstead."

"Yes sir," the ranch hand said with emphasis.

"Did your boss give you time off to come to this trial." "Of course he did, he wanted to see justice done as much as I did"

"Are you still being paid while you are here?"

Halstead wasn't quite sure how to answer that, the way Dillon was looking at him made him think the man knew something.

"I er..I don't really know," he finally answered

"When you found the body, how did it look."

"I guess it looked like something that had laid out in the sun for a few days."

"Was he lying face up, or down."

"Halstead hesitated a moment, he couldn't remember what he had told Dillon, "He was just lying there, face in the dirt."

Where there any buzzards circling overhead."

Johnny Halstead was getting a little frustrated.

"Look I don't remember all those things, it was just a body, right?"

"No more questions, " Pascoe announced, and Benton, too, had nothing to ask so Halstead left the stand.

As he was walking back to his seat Pascoe continued.

"Please your honor I'd like to recall Marshal Dillon."

The Judge gave his approval with a brief nod.

Matt was happy to go back to the stand, at last he felt they had a hope.

Pascoe questioned him about how he had ridden out to the Double D to talk with the ranch owner Duncan DeWitt and been told that Halstead was fired about two weeks before because he was never around. He also explained that Halstead had told him the body was face up when he found it.

Halstead was sitting in the court room and stood up.

"He came and got me from the saloon, he waited till I was drunk, I didn't know what I was saying."

Judge Brooking rapped his gavel. "I will have order in this court, sit down and be silent."

Halstead obeyed. The Judge turned to the prosecutor.

"Do you want to ask the Marshal any questions Mr Benton."

"I don't believe so, at least not at this time your honor."

xxx

The previous evening Pascoe had patiently sat and counseled Hamilton on the benefits and dangers of taking the stand in his own defense. Doug was determined to do it. "They might find me guilty," he mumbled with his head hung low, "but I still want them to hear my side of the story."

Gina, being the supportive wife had brought him a clean set of clothes and a razor so he could shave. She even trimmed his hair.

"You want me to look good for the gallows?" her husband said bleakly.

"Don't even say that Doug. You know Marshal Dillon won't let that happen."

Finally all the witnesses had been called. The judge looked to Pascoe.

Does your client want to take the stand Counsellor.

Pascoe looked at Hamilton and the man nodded. Calmly he walked towards the Judges table and sat in the witness seat. To begin with the prosecutor would ask questions. He was very aggressive in his manner. He wanted to know about his time as a deputy marshal in Pueblo and why he had left to take up a lesser position as a City Marshal.

Hamilton explained that he needed to spend more time at home with his wife.

"Did it mean a decrease in pay," Benton asked, and Hamilton had to agree that it did.

The questions continued until Doug finally admitted that yes he did need to earn more money to keep his wife happy. He explained about the reward and how Dirk Williams didn't want to come into town to receive it because of the general feeling against men of his profession. He described how he got the cash from the bank and rode out to meet the man, and how he handed over the money, then stayed and fished for a while before returning to town.

When it was Pascoe's turn to ask questions, he wanted to know about who else might know what he was doing that day. Hamilton had to admit that no one knew.

"What about your wife, do you discuss your job with her."

"Well yes, but she wouldn't tell anyone else."

Eventually all the questions were over and each of the attorneys got to sum up their side of the story. Benton was very persuasive, pointing out that Hamilton had motive in the form of money he needed to keep his wife happy and opportunity when he rode out ostensibly to hand over the reward. He was certainly guilty of murdering Dirk Williams who admittedly was generally disliked because of his profession - but none the less did not deserve to be killed, especially by a man who wore a badge and was pledged to uphold the law." Pascoe did his best but other than the slight contradictions in Halstead's testimony, he didn't have a lot to work with.

When both had finished speaking, the Judge called a recess for lunch and allowed the jurors to retire to come back with a verdict.

"It is not fair to keep this young man waiting to learn his fate for yet another day." Again the gavel fell, the jurors left the court room and the rest of the town who had been following the events with some kind of morbid delight, all went for lunch.

The trial had ended and the worst possible outcome became reality. The Judge found the murder proven and particularly horrific because of Doug Hamilton's position as an officer of the law. Of course the sentence of death by hanging was handed down and the ex city Marshal would be taken to Hays City within the week. Matt spent that evening in the cell with his friend. "I can't believe this has happened Doug."

"What do you propose to do."

It had been the hardest day Matt could remember in a long time. Doug seemed resigned to his fate although continued to profess his innocence.

Matt had left the jail, deep in thought. At the Long Branch he met Kitty and Doc, but could not sit and talk. He was morose and withdrawn. Sometimes the burden of the badge was overwhelming. Both Doc and Kitty were worried about their friend but somehow he went about his routine of making evening rounds, such familiar tasks kept his mind occupied.

Matt seriously thought of giving up his badge that very evening, but as Kitty pointed out the longer Hamilton remained in his custody, the longer the

chance that something would happen to prove his innocence. Daniel T pascoe had said something about an appeal.

When Kitty met Gina after the trial the young woman was anxious - but anxious that this whole thing should be over. No she didn't think she could go to Hays. She would say goodbye to her husband here in Dodge just before he and the Marshal left for that final ride whenever that would be.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Lawman

Chapter 17

Kitty was a good observer of people - in some ways better than the Marshal. She had noticed that Johnny Halstead spent a lot of time talking to Daisy. He always came in around noon and stayed till dark, but he never stayed late into the night or tried to walk her home. It was strange because when most of these ranch hands came into town, it was the nights they were most interested in spending with the saloon girls. She asked Daisy about it. The girl did not seem to think it too unusual, "He's probably got a wife somewhere." she laughed.

Kitty thought about that statement, she wasn't sure why but the more she watched Halstead, the more she thought about it. She began asking Chester to tell her when Gina arrived and left the jail. The times seemed to coincide very well with the hours the young man spent with Daisy.

At first she was reluctant to point out this unusual fact to Dillon. She knew he wouldn't want to believe that Hamilton's wife could be involved in an affaire with Johnny Halstead. Curiosity getting the better of her, Kitty decided to give something a try. Next morning after Matt had left her bed to go make his early morning rounds, instead of going back to sleep, as usual, she made herself get up and dress ready for the day. She walked briskly across Front Street and through the doors to the Dodge House.

"Good Morning Miss Kitty," Howie was already behind the desk - his crisply starched collar standing out around his freshly scrubbed face and neck. "You here to see Mrs Hamilton?"

"Yes Howie - it is a nice morning and I thought I would invite her to breakfast."

"I don't think you'll find her awake yet, she doesn't usually come down till much before noon."

"Then I'll just have to wake her up." Howie didn't seem to think it surprising that Kitty would be taking the young woman to breakfast and said nothing as she headed up the stairs. Kitty made very little noise and arrived outside the door of room number 12. She listened for a minute and didn't hear any unusual sounds coming from inside. Suddenly she lifted her hand and knocked on the door,

"Gina its Kitty," she called, "I thought we could go have breakfast together at Delmonico's. Can I come in?"

She heard a lot of shuffling around, was she imagining it or where there whispered voices?

"Oh Kitty, how sweet of you. Would you give me some time to get dressed? I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

Kitty listened for a moment and was almost sure she heard a window open.

"That's good. I'll be waiting." Kitty walked back down the stairs and out through the front door. She casually walked to the end of the block and waited at the end of the alleyway. Holding her parasol so that it hid her face from anyone coming along the alley, then turned her back and walked slowly back towards the hotel. Sure enough in a minute or two she heard someone coming out of the alley and onto the boardwalk. A quick look confirmed her suspicion, the man was now heading in the opposite direction, but she knew who it was. She hurried back to the hotel to wait for Gina.

When Matt came to her rooms that evening he was pale and worried. The last few weeks had been hard on him. He had hardly eaten and rarely drank a beer. Even at nights when he laid next to her he was unable to enjoy being there. In a day or so he would have to take his friend to Hays for a hanging and that was the only thing on his mind.

They laid side by side, very few words had been exchanged that evening. They had been sitting on the settee and he had held her hand with his arm intertwined with hers, but it was a cold silence, not the comfortable silence they could enjoy in different times.

Their drinks lay barely touched on the coffee table in front of them. Kitty had tried some regular small talk, but apart from a grunt or two, had received no reply. She was trying to work up to telling him about seeing Halstead coming from the alley behind the Dodge House and her theory concerning Gina and Johnny Halstead.

She applied some gentle pressure to the hand that was holding hers, trying to drag his mind back from the dark place where it had been hiding .

"Matt." she started, but didn't get much of a response, so she tried again. "Matt listen to me, I have an idea." At last he turned his head and looked at her. "Oh Matt you need to eat." She went to the small dresser on top of which she had saved a plate of sandwiches, then brought it back and set it on the table in front of him.

"I want to tell you something, but you need to eat first."

Reluctantly he took one of the sandwiches and tried a bite.

"This morning I went to the Dodge House and invited Gina to breakfast. I have been watching that Johnny Halstead, and his relationship with Daisy." At first the Marshal didn't seem to be paying much attention, but as her story progressed she noticed he became more alert and listened intently to what his woman was saying.

"So you think Halstead and Gina are involved somehow."

"You could say that."

"Kitty maybe you have just found the answer, everything falls into place if that's the case." He stopped and thought a moment, arranging the facts in his mind. "DeWitt had told me that he thought Halstead had a woman in town, that's why he fired him. Gina could easily have told Halstead about the money and he had plenty of time to go out after Williams and catch up with him. It makes sense, even to the footprint and the button, he would have had time to plant both."

He turned and hugged her. Gradually his face became more alive as he began to work on a way to trap Halstead. He grabbed another sandwich and devised a plan.

xxx

The following morning he walked into the jail with a firmer step than he had had for several weeks. It distressed him that he could not tell Hamilton what was planned, but if it worked, the City Marshal would be a free man.

"Doug , tomorrow we are riding to Hays."

"I knew the day would come," his prisoner replied. He seemed resigned to his fate. "Just one request, Matt, somewhere out there on the trail I will try to escape. I want you to shoot me, I don't want to hang. Promise me that."

Matt looked at his friend, wanting so much to tell him all would be well.

"I made another promise to you Doug, and I haven't given up on that one yet."

As usual Gina spent most of the day with her husband. They sat quietly in the lonely cell, not saying much.

When Matt came to lock up just before his late night rounds, she was still there.

"We're heading out in the morning Gina," he spoke softly, barely looking at his friend.

"Doug told me Marshal. I don't think I'll be coming to Hays, I'm sure you understand."

Dillon just nodded. She turned around to give her husband a final embrace before leaving.

Once the outer door of the office closed, Dillon turned to his friend.

"I'm just going to make rounds, then once everyone is off the street, I'll take you across to the Dodge House so you can spend the night with Gina."

Hamilton was stunned, that was definitely not something a lawman usually allowed a prisoner headed for the gallows. He didn't know what to say.

xxx

The street was quiet as Matt walked back to the jail. He had stopped by the Long Branch where Kitty told him Halstead had been drinking and talking to Daisy for most of the evening, but left about a half hour earlier.

As a precaution he sent Chester to the back of the Dodge house with a Winchester and instructions to arrest Halstead if he came that way.

"Remember I want him alive," he cautioned his assistant.

Once the jailer left the office he took the keys and unlocked the cell where Hamilton was waiting.

"I can never thank you enough for this Matt," he said as Dillon ushered him to the front. Dillon felt a little guilty about not telling his friend what he thought they would find but surely freedom would be worth a little subterfuge.

They crossed the street and entered the lobby of the hotel. Howie was asleep behind the counter but roused up as they headed towards the stairs.

He opened his mouth to object to the Marshal bringing a convicted murderer to his establishment, but before he got the first syllable out Matt was leaning over the desk at him.

"I don't want any noise." He tugged on the little man's collar until he nodded in understanding.

"C'mon," he mouthed to Hamilton and pointed to the stairs.

xxx

Johnny Halstead had become quite fond of Daisy during the week or so he had been in Dodge and if things didn't work out with Gina he would plan to come back to her. Just before leaving the Long Branch he told her he was leaving town for a while, but would be back.

Daisy had been around saloons long enough to know what that meant, but perhaps this one would keep his word.

He walked to the back of the Dodge House taking mostly the back streets so as not to be seen. He had perfected the route in the last few days and was confident that no one knew where he spent his nights.

The window was open and it was no effort to climb onto the low roof and then swing up to Gina's room.

She was not there when he arrived and he laid on the bed for a while. Eventually he heard a key turn in the lock and hastily hid behind the door, just in case it was someone he did not expect. When he saw it was the woman he wanted, he took her in his arms and kissed her quietly.

"They're leaving for Hays tomorrow Johnny. I told the Marshal I would not be going."

He just grinned. "It worked Gina, it was all so easy, now we have money and can leave town whenever we want."

"What about that Marshal, I thought Etheridge wanted him out of the way." "Let's get you out of town first, you can take the train east, then I'll take care of him, there's no rush."

It wasn't long before the pair where half asleep in the warm hotel bed. It had been a hectic few days, but finally it seemed as if everything was stacked in their favor.

Suddenly their quiet was shattered.

A quiet knock and a voice "Gina, it's me." Hamilton's voice came through the door at them both.

"Doug?"

"Yes, come and open the door."

"I'm..I'm coming" she stammered.

Matt was standing there, he could hear movement from within the room and did not want Halstead to get away. By now he was certain Kitty had been right. He hated to disturb the other hotel guests, but a man's life took precedence over a good night's sleep..

He lifted his leg and landed a booted foot squarely on the door so the frame gave way and the door slammed open.

He saw Halstead trying to grab clothes and climb out through the window.

"Hold it," he yelled, pulling his gun. The man was unsure what to do and decided he would risk jumping to the ground.

At the same time Hamilton was looking at his wife who was wearing only a very flimsy night gown. He was stunned for a moment, then picked up her robe from the foot of the bed.

"I think you best put this on."

"Doug it's not what you think."

He was too stunned to reply.

Chester watched as the young ranch hand jumped from the low roof, and landed clumsily on the ground.

"Hold it right there mister," he held the Winchester so the man knew exactly what was going on. 'You're under arrest, let's head to the jail, you know where it's at." Then he called up to the open window.

"I got him Mr. Dillon."

Matt smiled, he could always rely on Chester. Then he turned to Hamilton.

"You need to come back to the jail tonight, but I don't think we'll be taking that trip to Hays. Bring Gina with you."

xxx

Marshal Dillon was not a man who would 'beat the truth' out of his prisoners. He wanted to at times, and occasionally he found that a little physical force was necessary, but more often than not the mere threat of violence was all that was needed. It seemed to him that most people who committed serious crimes like murder were in fact cowards at heart and it didn't take a lot to scare them into telling all. Right now he was only too willing to put the fear into the ex ranch hand.

He escorted Gina and Doug back across Front Street to the jail. A few guests in the Dodge House had been woken by the events of the evening and were watching from windows trying to see what was going on. Poor Howie was watching too, but he was more concerned about the door to room number twelve and who was going to pay for the damages.

When Dillon opened the door to his office and ushered Doug and his wife inside, Chester was coming through the other door that led from the cells.

"I got him all locked up Mr. Dillon."

"Thanks Chester. Put some coffee on and stay here with Mr. Hamilton and his wife." He pulled out a chair from the small table in the middle of the room and indicated to Gina to sit there. He spared a glance at his friend who was still too stunned to really understand all that was going on.

"Wait here, Doug, I won't be long." He removed his gun belt and hung it on the peg, then carefully unpinned his badge and laid it on the desk. Chester looked at him questioningly.

"Mr. Dillon…?"

"Just keep everyone here Chester, I won't be long."

He picked up the heavy ring that held the keys to the cells and walked through the door.

"What's happening Chester," Hamilton asked.

"We're just gonna stay here like Mr. Dillon said, so sit down there and I'll make some coffee."

Matt flexed his fingers into tight fists as he looked at Johnny Halstead. He opened the cell door and went inside. "I knew I didn't like you from the first time I heard about you." He spoke menacingly and looked hard at the man sitting on the cot.

"I want to know exactly what's been going on, and right now I'm tired and I don't have a lot of patience."

"You can't touch me, I'm a prisoner in your jail."

"Right now I am not wearing a badge, and I'll do whatever it takes to get the truth out of you." Poor Halstead had gone from the pleasurable heights of sharing a bed with Gina to something like despair in less than thirty minutes and now this mountain of a man was towering over him with anger burning in his eyes. Even so Halstead would not give up that easily.

"I don't know what you're talking about Marshal."

"How come you were there in Mrs. Hamilton's room." Halstead relaxed a little and smiled. "Now you can't lock a man up for that."

The words were barely out of his mouth before a fierce back hand blow struck his face and threw him back against the wall. It left him stunned for a moment.

"You'd be surprised what I can do." Matt told him, pleased to see the small trickle of blood coming from the corner of the ranch hand's mouth. He reached out and grabbed the man by his collar.

"I've had about enough of you, you've caused a whole lot of trouble for a good friend of mine and now its time to set things right."

xxx

It took a while to get Halstead to tell how Etheridge wanted the City Marshal out of the way because of how he enforced the town ordinances to the letter. Halstead wanted to blame everything on Etheridge and Gina. Gina wanted him to get rid of her husband so she could be with him, and had told him about the bounty hunter and the $2500 reward money. Etheridge added an additional thousand dollars if Halstead could make it look like the City Marshal had killed the man.

Halstead admitted that he watched the City Marshal hand over the reward money. His plan had been to wait until the lawman left to ride back to town. Once Hamilton had ridden off he would ambush the bounty hunter and take the money. He thought the sound of the gunshot would bring the lawman back to the scene at which point he could return to find the marshal with the dead man. Halstead thought he could then tell the town he had seen Hamilton kill the bounty hunter, of course he would pretend not to know anything about the reward money. It was not a very good plan to start with, but Gina persuaded him to go with it and Gina could be very persuasive.

He made it a big point to include the leader of the town council, "That little banker wanted the over zealous city marshal gone so he could make more money at the Aces Wild Saloon. Most people don't know it but he is the real owner of that business."

Matt prompted him for more details because what Halstead had said so far did not coincide with Doc's findings - or his own come to that.

The ranch hand admitted that things went wrong from the start. Hamilton did not ride back to town after handing over the money - he stayed there fishing, worse still there was someone else fishing just across the river who would have seen if he killed Williams there like he planned. He had decided to follow the bounty hunter, but it was the next day and many miles before he had the opportunity to carry out the plan. Once the man was dead he loaded him onto his horse and took him back to town.

"Where's the money?" Dillon asked him

"I buried it out back of Gina's place."

"Tell me about the boot print."

" Hamilton asked me where I found the body, he had seen Williams ride off so I couldn't make it right there. I told him it was a little way further along the road. When you came along we had to make it look like Hamilton had been there."

Matt nodded.

"We're going to write all that down in the morning, Halstead. and you're going to sign it. Then I'll turn it over to Judge Brooking.

"What about Gina."

"I haven't decided yet."

xxx

The next morning Dillon was at the telegraph office sending wires to the Attorney General and Judge Brooking.

xxx

It was a few days before Kitty, Doc, Matt and Hamilton shared a table at Delmonico's

"So you and Doug are riding to Garden City to arrest Etheridge?" Doc asked.

"Yes, Doug has been reinstated as City Marshal there - if he still wants the job."

Hamilton looked up from his plate. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet," he looked wistfully into the distance. "I can hardly believe that Gina.. well, in a lot of ways I still love her." Kitty reached over and touched his arm, "Give it time, you've been through a lot lately."

The man nodded.

"What's going to happen to the other two," Kitty asked.

"They both signed pretty full confessions, so it will be up to the court to decide. I think Gina will go to prison, Halstead could serve a life term or go to the gallows. As for Etheridge, he will still have to stand trial."

xxx

That night when the Marshal let himself into the private rooms above the Long Branch he walked with a lighter step than he had in many weeks. Kitty was pleased to see that the haunted look had gone from his eyes and had been replaced by the subtle smile that suited him so well. The comfortable quiet times they had missed for so long seemed, once more to come naturally to them.

They sat side by side on the familiar settee in Kitty's rooms. The brandy glasses on the small table in front of them were empty. The delicate liquid they had contained now brought a warm, pleasant relaxation to the Marshal and the Saloon Owner. After a while he took her hand and lead her to the big brass bed that had not experienced the ecstasy of their love for far too long. This evening things would change. That badge he wore would not come between them tonight now that the burdens it had carried were gone, at least for now.

"Did I ever tell you how much I need you Kitty."

"Not lately," she laughed teasingly.

"Maybe you should come and lie next to me so I can make up for that."

She was so relieved to have her cowboy back. It was such a long time since he had been the gentle, caring lover she knew so well.

He watched as she let down her hair, then removed her earrings and necklace.

He came up behind her to help her with her dress. She could feel the warmth of his body even before his arms encircled her. It had been so long. She turned to face him and their lips met. It never ceased to amaze her that a man with strength enough to handle drunken cowboys and determined gun slingers could be so gentle and considerate when he demonstrated his love for her. He hardly ever expressed that love in words, but in actions he could have no equal.

At last they were still. The cooling breeze that swept softly through the room was the only force moving the cotton sheets that cocooned the exhausted lovers. Tonight the dreamless sleep they shared was a well deserved reward.

Epilogue

Early next morning two lawmen headed out of Dodge towards garden City. Kitty watched them from the boardwalk outside the Long Branch. She always enjoyed meeting people from Matt's earlier years, enjoyed the opportunity of learning what events from the past had shaped him into the person she knew better than anyone else. Doug Hamilton was a lot like him, quiet, determined and strong in body and mind. She hoped that somehow he would find strength enough to move on with his life. He had lost a wife and most of his faith in the law, but if anyone could help him heal it was her cowboy. It would take them almost two days to ride to Garden City and that should be time enough for even those two men to talk.

She stood there watching as the riders disappeared into the distance.

"Stay safe" she thought, then turned to go back inside and let the batwing doors swing close behind her.

End.

A/N Thanks to everyone who has followed this story. Kittylover100 and Grace, I was unusable to send you PM's but I do appreciate your kind comments.


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